PHYLUM

PLATYHELMINTHES
FLAT BODIED WORMS

Class Turbellaria (planarians)

mostly predatory
free living

Class Trematoda (internal flukes)

only parasitic
complex life-cycles

Class Cestoda (tapeworms)

only parasitic
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 EXAMPLES
• PLANARIA – FREE LIVING – AQUATIC AND
TERRESTRIAL
– Herbivore, carnivore, scavenger
• TAPEWORMS – INTESTINAL PARASITE W/
MORE THAN 1 HOST TAENIA
• FLUKES – INTERNAL PARASITE W/MORE
THAN ONE HOST
– BLOOD FLUKE SCHISTOSOMA
– LIVER FLUKE FASCIOLA
 TRAITS
• ORGAN LEVEL OF ORGANIZATION
• BILATERAL SYMMETRY
• SAC TYPE BODY – 1 OPENING/ no anus
– GASTROVASCULAR CAVITY IS BRANCHED
• TRIPLOBLASTIC – 3 GERM/tissue LAYERS
• CEPHALIZATION – has a head
• BRAIN WITH 2 NERVE CORDS &
TRANSVERSE NERVES
• SENSE ORGANS – light and chemicals
– Occeli/eyespots and auricles/ears
 TRAITS
• ACOELOMATE – no coelom/body cavity
• DIFFUSION METHODS FOR:
– GAS EXCHANGE - O2 and CO2
– WASTE REMOVAL – by FLAME CELLS
– CIRCULATION of nutrients and waste
– REMEMBER: DIFFUSION IS A SLOW
PROCESS; HI TO LO
 Epidermis/ gut cavity
ECTODERM

Lining of gut
=ENDODERM
no body cavity; region between
gut and body wall packed with
organs within MESODERM
tissue
Acoelomate organism
(flatworm)
 TRAITS
• MUSCLES FOR LOCOMOTION

• REPRODUCTION
– ASEXUAL – REGENERATE
– SEXUAL – HERMAPHRODITES BUT
CROSS FERTILIZE
 EVOLUTIONARY
MILESTONE
• ORGAN LEVEL OF ORGANIZATION
– reproductive, excretory, muscular
• BILATERAL SYMMETRY
• CEPHALIZATION
– Anterior and posterior
– Dorsal and ventral
Platyhelminthes Taxonomy

Classes of Phylum Platyhelminthes

• --Widely distributed in N. America
• -- about 200 species
• --Occur in both lakes and streams
• -- Stream-dwelling species more
differentiated than lake species
• --Species diversity increases in temperate
areas 20 to 60 species per lake
 Class Turbellaria

• Free-living flatworms; mostly marine

•microscopic to two feet

Locomotion in Turbellaria

•move by means of cilia and

mucous
•
•2 layers of muscle;
longitudinal and circular
•Stimulated by nervous
system
• contractions for turning,
twisting and folding of the
body
Nutrition in Turbellaria
•carnivores and predators of other animals or dead remains.
•muscular pharynx is inserted into prey
•Secretes digestive enzymes
•Fragments are pumped into mouth on ventral surface
•Further digestion in gastrovascular cavity
•branching increases the surface area for digestion and absorption
•No anus, only mouth;
•Undigested food excreted from mouth and pharynx as in cnidaria
•GVC aids both digestion and circulation – distributes nutrients and
oxygen to tissues
 Sensory/nervous
Brain/ganglia nerve cords

• Exhibits cephalization
• Group of nerve tissue (GANGLIA) at anterior
• Ganglia attached to 2 nerve chords
• well developed sensory eyespots for light
• auricles for chemical and mechanical (touch)
receptors
Reproduction in Turbellaria
Asexual---
•By fission or dividing
•Regeneration of missing parts

Sexual-
•hermaphrodites w/ cross-fertilization
•Internal fertilization
•Zygote released to water

testis penis genital pore

ovary oviduct
 EXCRETION IN TURBELLARIA

Excretory pore pharynx (protruded)

protonephridia
Flame cells
flame cell nucleus

cilia

•Cilia of flame cells remove excess

water and nitrogen wastes of body fluid
filters
•Waste moves to tubules opening of
through
membrane
tubule at folds
body surface flame cell
•Exits out pores in head
•Needs excretory system as tissues Excretory tubules
 Class Trematoda – the Flukes

COMMON EXAMPLE
OF COMPLEX
LIFE CYCLE
Class Trematoda

•live as parasites
• protected from digestion by protein coat
•2 suckers:
1. Oral sucker attaches to organs of the host
2. Ventral sucker or acetabulum attaches to host tissues
Types of Hosts
•Complex life cycles
•Alternate between sexual and asexual stages
• Most require at least 2 different kinds of hosts to complete their life
cycle

1. Definitive host (primary host)

• where parasite matures and reproduces (sexually)
•host in which eggs are released
2. Intermediate host
• Hosts in which larval stages develop and undergo asexual
reproduction
• Results in an increase in the number of the individuals
Schistosoma
•a common blood fluke of SE Asia
•causes shistosomiasis
•Definitive host = humans
•Intermediate host = snails
• In humans - eggs penetrate and
damage intestinal and bladder tissue
•constant inflammation and eventual
deterioration of liver, spleen and
other organs
General Life Cycle - Chinese liver fluke, Clonorchis sinensis

• Adults live in the bile ducts of humans, dogs, and cats

• There are 2 intermediate hosts: a snail and a fish
• Eggs are passed out of the definitive host and hatch as ciliated
larvae called miracidia
• The miracidia penetrates a snail molluscan host and becomes a
sporocyst
• They undergo asexual reproduction producing larvae called rediae
• Rediae often asexually produce more rediae, but will eventually
give rise to larvae called cercariae
• They leave the molluscan host and penetrate fish
• They encyst in the fish tissues as the metacercaria
• Consumption of infected fish results in the metacercaria excysting
in the gut and migrating to the bile duct
 Class Cestoda
•Protective protein coat
•anterior region is called a scolex;
•often armed with suckers and hooks

• Extending from neck of scolex

is a series of proglottids;
•contain sex organs and eggs;
•no digestive system
• Mature eggs released through
an opening in the proglottid
•leave the host when the
proglottids break off
 b A definitive host eats
infected, undercooked beef
a Larvae
become
encysted in c Scolex of larva
intermediate attaches to
host tissues intestine’s wall

d Many
proglottids
form by
budding

f Cattle may ingest e Ripe proglottids containing

embryonated eggs or ripe fertilized eggs leave host in feces
proglottids to become
intermediate hosts
Beef Tapeworm, Taeniarhynchus saginatus

• Definitive host = humans;

•intermediate host = cattle
• Eggs are shed with human feces;
•infected persons defecate in a pasture or untreated sewage
• eggs are ingested by cattle
• Eggs hatch
•larvae bore into intestinal wall
•get into the circulatory system
•transported to muscle
• If uncooked beef is consumed the larvae is freed
•scolex develops, forming the adult
• Symptoms include loss of weight, chronic indigestion, diarrhea