Dugesia

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For the plant, see Dugesia (plant).
iDugesia
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Subkingdom: Eumetazoa
Superphylum: Platyzoa
Phylum: Platyhelminthes
Class: Turbellaria
Order: Seriata
Suborder: Tricladida
Family: Planariidae
Genus: Dugesia

Dugesia is a genus of flatworms containing some common representatives of the class Turbellaria. These common flatworms can be found in freshwater habitats. Their digestion tract consists of a central tubular pharynx. Each branch consists of ceca, which delivers the nutrients to the body. This worm has a sac digestive plan, that is, it does not have a separate opening for waste excretion. (Gilbertson, 1999).

Planarians have ocelli (eye spots) that detect the amount of light in the nearby environment, and auricles (ear-like flaps) that detect the intensity of water current.

One relative well-known species is called Dugesia lugubris.

[edit] References

  • Gilbertson, Lance; Zoology Lab Manuel; McGraw Hill Companies, New York; ISBN 0-07-237716-X (fourth edition, 1999)