Planaria
ExploreInvertebrate
Planaria
Planaria
Planaria are flatworms that live in freshwater habitats like ponds and streams. They have a unique ability to regenerate, which means they can regrow body parts if they get hurt.
Habitat: Freshwater
Appearance
The Planaria has a distinctive spade-shaped head with two prominent 'eyespots' that give it a cross-eyed look. Its flat, soft body is typically brown, grey, or black, blending into its freshwater habitat. It's easily identified by its unique head shape.
KingdomAnimaliaPhylumPlatyhelminthesClassRhabditophoraOrderTricladidaFamilyPlanariidaeGenusPlanaria
Category
InvertebrateRarity
Common
Danger
1/5 · Very low
Snaps
Be the first to snap!
Interesting facts
Each Planaria has both boy and girl parts, they can make babies all by themselves!
Planaria breathe right through their skin, no lungs or gills needed!
Scientists study Planaria to learn how bodies regrow and even if they can learn!
Their 'eyespots' only detect light and dark, not clear images like ours!
Special abilities
Ability
Unstoppable Rebirth
Planaria can regrow any lost body part, even a whole new body from a tiny fragment, thanks to amazing stem cells.
Ability
Super Sniffer Sense
Planaria use chemical sensors on their head to detect food and navigate their environment from afar.
Ability
Pharynx Pop-out
Planaria can extend a tube-like pharynx from their belly to suck up food like a straw, surprise feeding!
Measurements & details
- Length
- 0.5-2.0
- Lifespan
- 0.5-1.0
Diet & Feeding
Planaria are tiny hunters and scavengers, feasting on small living creatures and dead organic matter.
Primary Foods
- small worms
- protozoa
- dead insects
- decaying organic matter
- tiny crustaceans
Foraging Method
- Scavenging
Ecological connections
eaten by
Fathead Minnow
Pimephales promelas
Minnows often consume small aquatic invertebrates.
eaten by
Eastern Newt
Notophthalmus viridescens
Newts prey on various small freshwater creatures.
hunts
Paramecium
Paramecium caudatum
Planaria feed on tiny single-celled organisms.
hunts
Water Flea
Daphnia pulex
Planaria consume small aquatic crustaceans.
Traits
Wildlife
Wildlife encompasses all undomesticated animal and plant life existing in their natural habitats.
Scavenger
Scavengers consume dead organic matter, helping to decompose carcasses and other waste in the ecosystem.
Filter Feeder
Filter feeders obtain nutrients by straining suspended food particles and small organisms from water.
Ancient Lineage
This trait signifies organisms belonging to a very old evolutionary group with ancestors dating back millions of years.
Freshwater
Freshwater habitats include non-saline aquatic environments such as rivers, lakes, ponds, and wetlands, vital for numerous species.
Regenerative
Regenerative organisms possess the ability to regrow lost or damaged body parts, tissues, or organs.
Nocturnal
Nocturnal animals are primarily active during the nighttime hours, typically resting or sleeping during the day.
Also known as
FlatwormTurbellarian
Collections
Safety
Danger
1/5 · Very low
Avoid touching planaria in the wild to protect their delicate bodies and habitat.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is Planaria?
0.5-2.0
How long does Planaria live?
0.5-1.0
What does Planaria eat?
Planaria are tiny hunters and scavengers, feasting on small living creatures and dead organic matter.
Where is Planaria usually found?
Freshwater
How does Planaria hunt?
Scavenging
Snap Map
Zoom in to split clusters and explore where this object has been snapped.
Loading map…
Recent Snaps
Recent snaps will appear here as new observations are added.
