Parasites
Description: Flatworm
Image copyright: http://www.islandream.com/wakatobi/flatworm02.jpg
Characteristics
1. They use cilia (hair like structures) to move
2. They are the simplest worms
3. They are consumers
4. They have a simple nervous system
5. Their bodies are flat
6. They have sensory lobes
7. They have bilateral symmetry
8. They reproduce asexually
9. They take in food and get rid of waste through their mouth
How are they different?
They vary in size
Some are parasitic (parasites)
Fun Facts!
1. Planarians are often 15mm in length
2. Flukes are just a few millimeters long
3. Some tapeworms are longer than a school bus
4. Flatworms can be fund in salt water and fresh water
5. Only one opening in their body is used to take in food and also as an anus
6. Most flatworms are both male and female
7. Planarians mouths are located in the middle of the underside of the body (tummy)
8. Flatworms are very tolerant of pollution
9. One fluke can produce over 500,000 embryos
10. There are more than 10,000 species of flukes
Tapeworms
One of the most unique flatworms is the tapeworm. They can grow to be longer than a school bus and can live inside you! Tapeworms are parasites, which means they live inside a host! They live off of and get energy from their host. If a tapeworm uses you as their host it can be potentially deadly. They will steal your nutrients with their six rows of teeth!
