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Related FAQs; Flatworms/Planaria
1,
Flatworms 2, Flatworms
3, & FAQs on: Flatworm Identification,
Flatworm ID 2,
Flatworm ID 3, Flatworm Behavior, Flatworm
Compatibility, Flatworm Control,
Predator Control,
Chemical Control, Flatworm Selection,
Flatworm Systems, Flatworm
Feeding, Flatworm Disease,
Flatworm Reproduction,
Related Articles: Pest
Flatworm Control by Anthony Calfo, Worm Diversity,
/The Conscientious Reef
Aquarist:
Flatworms,
including "Planaria" & Marine Aquariums
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By Bob Fenner |
Thysanozoon nigropapillosum |
Of the worms, the Platyhelminthes ("flat worms") are considered the
prototypes, having developed such innovations as bilateral symmetry, a head,
tail, and three germinal tissue layers (stinging celled animals, comb-jellies...
only have two). These simple soft-bodied animals use their skin to breath
through and only have one body opening, the mouth serving also as an anus.
The Flatworm Phylum includes two groups of well-known
parasitic species; the Tapeworms (Class Cestoda) and Flukes (Class Trematoda).
These are important species to humans directly and indirectly through their
negative interactions with food and ornamental animal life, including fishes.
There are many species of both cestodes and trematodes that live on/in fishes
and their gill cavities. Fortunately, due to complex life histories and careful
quarantine, dips/baths, most aquarists don't come in contact with these
parasitic forms.
The free-living (i.e. non-parasitic) species of Flatworms,
the Class Turbellaria are more of note... True, some of them do trend toward
being pests when their numbers get out of control... and can be problematical
should you provoke a poisonous variety to the point of toxin release... most are
benign organisms that are best ignored. Most of us have had contact at High
School science classes with the tiny freshwater genus Planaria. These are the
remarkable worms that you cut in two and witnessed regeneration with.
Class Turbellaria: Mostly free-living Flatworms; about 3,000 described
species.
Acoel Flatworms: Simple, "gut-less", small worms...
including the ones that "reproduce like rabbits" in reef tanks... best
left alone... or selectively siphoned off (mainly) soft corals, out of reef
systems.
| Amphiscolops sp., a harmless acoel that "shows
up" at times in reef tanks. Photo by Mike Giangrasso |
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| Does this look like fun to you? Here's an infestation of
acoel flatworms (perhaps Convolutriloba retrogemma) on someone's (Birch Aquarium, San Diego, California, USA)
Corallimorphs... Best to... leave them alone, siphon off, seek a predator? |

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| Waminoa sp. 1 Characterized by having a pumpkin
silhouette appearance and a yellow dot at the base of their caudal notch
(and a lack of other unknown members of the genus other coloring, marking
characteristics...). Overall color due to algal symbionts (dinoflagellates,
diatoms?). Think you've seen infestations? Here are some images made in
the Lembeh Strait in N. Sulawesi. Below: on Bubble Coral (Plerogyra),
Goniopora (Flower Pot Coral) and a Fungiid (Heliofungia
actiniformes). |
Polyclad Flatworms: Referring to their multi-branched digestive
system. Similar to Nudibranchs, but lacking the latter's "naked
gills"; flatworms are "flatter", and often much faster
moving.
Genus Pseudobiceros:
| Pseudobiceros bedfordi (Laidlaw 1903). Amongst the
more commonly encountered Indo-Pacific (East Africa to Micronesia)
Flatworms. Feeds on tunicates, crustaceans. Fast moving. N. Sulawesi
image. |

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| Pseudobiceros gloriosus Newman & Cannon 1994. Black
velvet bodied with three marginal bands, outer dark burgundy. Melanesia,
Australia, Fiji. N. Sulawesi
image. |
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Pseudobiceros hancockanus (Collingwood
1876). Highly undulated body margin with white and orange bands. To six
inches in length. Indo-Pacific; Maldives to Fiji, Australia, Japan. Off Heron Island, QLD,
Australia, and Nuka Hiva, Marquesas, Polynesia. |
 
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| Pseudobiceros sp. "#7". Here in S. Sulawesi. |
.JPG) |
| Pseudobiceros sp. Here in S. Sulawesi. |
.JPG) |
Genus Pseudoceros:
| Pseudoceros bifurcus Prudhoe 1989. Eastern Africa to
Indonesia, Australia, Philippines. Pseudotentacles as simple folds.
Distinctive white mid-line stripe that is orange at the anterior of the
animal. To a bit over two inches in length. Off of Heron Island
shown feeding on tunicates, another in N. Sulawesi. |
 
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| Pseudoceros dimidiatus von Graff 1893. Look for the
double yellow "racing stripe" down the middle for this species.
Other markings are variable to missing. Central to western Pacific.
One off of Kailua Kona, Hawai'i by RMF, another in PNG by PhilS. |
 
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| Pseudoceros ferrugineus Hyman 1959. The Fuchsia
Flatworm Central and Western Pacific at moderate depths. Out during both
day and night, often appearing bluish until artificial light is applied,
and more round when fully opened. Hawaii pix. |
 
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| Pseudoceros lindae. Here in S. Sulawesi. |
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| Pseudoceros monostichos Newman & Cannon, 1994. New
Guinea and Australia. PhilS pic in PNG. |
.JPG) |
| Pseudoceros sapphrinus Newman & Cannon 1994.
Western Pacific; eastern Australia, Philippines, Marshall Islands. This
one photographed in Fiji. Often encountered (day and night) crawling over
Acroporids. |

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| Pseudoceros sp. N. Sulawesi. |
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| Pseudoceros sp. Mabul, Malaysia and North Sulawesi. Black marginal
stripe, undulated margin... |
 
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| Pseudoceros sp. 4 Here in S. Sulawesi. |
.JPG) |
| Pseudoceros sp. 5 Here in S. Sulawesi. |
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| Pseudoceros sp. 6. PhilS pic in PNG. |
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| Thysanozoon flavomaculatum Red Sea image. |

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| Thysanozoon nigropapillosum (Hyman 1969). Dorsal
surface black with short papillae tipped with yellow. White band around
edge. Mid Indian Ocean east to Western Pacific. Photo taken off Pulau
Redang, Malaysia. |
 
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Parasitic Flatworms: Black-Spot Disease of Yellow Tangs
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My graduate school roommate Mike Kent worked out the
life-cycle of this Platyhelminth, Paravortex for his Master's
Thesis. Other authors list the use of organo-phosphate containing
medications to rid Yellow Tangs and other fishes (7 families, 130 some
species) and their system of this turbellarian, but
a simple freshwater dip, sans copper or anything else, wipes them out
without having to put anything in your main system. After this knowledge
became common and a routine freshwater dip procedure was adopted by
wholesalers, we had a Dickens of a time getting more Paravortex. If
your system will accommodate a cleaner goby, shrimp, by all means include
one.
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Flatworm Predators on Parade!
Due to their bad taste, often outright toxicity, most flatworms are
unpalatable to predators. However, there are notable exceptions. Some that may
work are listed/pictured below:
| Chelidonura varians Eliot 1903, THE Flatworm
Eating Sea Slug! Tropical Indo-West Pacific.
To seven cm. in length. This one off of Heron Island, Queensland,
Australia. |

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| Lysmata wurdemanni (Gibbes 1850), Peppermint Shrimp,
Caribbean Cleaner Shrimp. Tropical West Atlantic. Lives singly or in
groups. Gets along with all aquarium species. Commercially produced. A
reclusive, sometimes misidentified species (there are other shrimp from
the area that are similar) used in the fight to limit Aiptasia Anemones in
aquariums. |

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Halichoeres chrysus Randall 1981 (1), is a fish of two "good" and one bad
common name. It should be called the Golden or Canary Wrasse for its bright bold
sun-yellow color, but is most often listed as the Yellow Coris Wrasse (Arggghhh!, it is
not a Coris genus member of course). This is an exemplary aquarium species that is
suitable for peaceful fish-only and reef systems. To a mere 4 inches or so total length.
Aquarium & S. Sulawesi photos. Eastern Indian Ocean distribution.
http://fishbase.sinica.edu.tw/Summary/speciesSummary.php?ID=4855&genusname=Halichoeres&speciesname=chrysus
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Pseudocheilinus evanidus Jordan & Evermann
1903, the Pin-Striped or Striated Wrasse (2). I like this fish’s other
common names, the Disappearing or Vanishing Wrasse for its bashfulness. To
a grand size of three inches. Indo-Pacific, including Red Sea and Hawai'i.
Two in the Red Sea.
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| Pseudocheilinus hexataenia (Bleeker 1857), the
Sixline Wrasse (2). A feisty, though small (to 4") a reef tank
species. Indo-Pacific, including the Red Sea in its distribution. Aquarium
and Queensland, Australia images. |
 
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Foods/Feeding/Nutrition:
All Polyclad Flatworms are carnivorous, and specific about
their prey. Most feed on sea squirts, bryozoans, small worms, crustaceans, or
snails, but some are cannibalistic.
Reproduction:
Platyhelminths are true hermaphrodites... being both male
and female. Cross-fertilization is the rule with a "pair" rudely
stabbing one another with a hard penile stylet to enact sperm transfer. As you
know due to exposure with Planaria, they can also generate new individuals by
splitting asexually.
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