Planarian
ExploreInvertebrate
Planarian
Dugesia tigrina
Planarians are flatworms that live in water. They have a special power to regrow body parts if they get hurt. These creatures move gracefully through the water, exploring their underwater world.
Habitat: Freshwater
Appearance
The Planarian has a flat, soft body, often brown, black, or gray, with a distinctive spade-shaped head. It has two prominent eyespots on its head, giving it a cross-eyed appearance. Its smooth, creeping motion makes it look like it's gliding.
KingdomAnimaliaPhylumPlatyhelminthesClassRhabditophoraOrderTricladidaFamilyPlanariidaeGenusPlanaria
Category
InvertebrateRarity
Common
Danger
1/5 · Very low
Snaps
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Interesting facts
Planarians are hermaphrodites, meaning each worm has both male and female reproductive organs.
Some planarians can learn simple mazes, and even remember them after regrowing a new head!
They have an amazing feeding tube called a pharynx that extends from their belly like a proboscis!
When startled, planarians sometimes detach from surfaces and drift away to escape danger.
Special abilities
Ability
Super Regenerator
Planarian can regrow lost body parts, even a whole new body from a tiny piece, because of special stem cells called neoblasts.
Ability
Chemical Radar
Planarian can sense food from a distance using sensitive chemical receptors, helping them find their next meal in the water.
Ability
Light Spotter
Planarian has two eyespots that detect light and dark, allowing them to navigate away from bright light or hide.
Ability
Gliding Goo
Planarian can glide smoothly over surfaces using tiny hair-like cilia and a layer of mucus, making them seem to float.
Measurements & details
- Length Mm
- 1-25
- Lifespan Years
- 1-2
- Width Mm
- 1-5
Diet & Feeding
Planarians are tiny scavengers and predators that feast on dead things and even smaller creatures.
Primary Foods
- Dead insects
- Decaying plant matter
- Tiny worms
- Snails
Foraging Method
- Scavenging
Ecological connections
hunts
Sludge worm
Tubifex tubifex
Planarians hunt these small aquatic worms.
hunts
Great pond snail
Lymnaea stagnalis
Planarians ambush and consume small pond snails.
eaten by
Mosquitofish
Gambusia affinis
Small fish sometimes prey on planarians.
eaten by
Eastern newt
Notophthalmus viridescens
Newts are known predators of planarians.
Traits
Spore Producing
Spore-producing organisms reproduce by releasing small, often single-celled, reproductive units called spores.
Ancient Lineage
This trait signifies organisms belonging to a very old evolutionary group with ancestors dating back millions of years.
Carnivorous
This trait identifies organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of animal tissue.
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.
Venomous
Venomous organisms produce toxins that are injected into another animal, typically through a bite or sting.
Also known as
No aliases listed yet.
Collections
Safety
Danger
1/5 · Very low
If you find planarians in the water, observe them from a safe distance and avoid touching them to keep them safe.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is Planarian?
1-25
How long does Planarian live?
1-2
What does Planarian eat?
Planarians are tiny scavengers and predators that feast on dead things and even smaller creatures.
Where is Planarian usually found?
Freshwater
How does Planarian hunt?
Scavenging
How big is Planarian?
1-5
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