''Planaria'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

of planarians in the family

Planariidae Planariidae is a family (biology), family of freshwater Tricladida, planarians. The type genus is ''Planaria'' Müller, 1776.Ball IR: A contribution to the phylogeny and biogeography of the freshwater triclads (Platyhelminthes: Turbellaria). Bi ...

. When an individual is cut into pieces, each piece has the ability to regenerate into a fully formed individual.

Description

Currently the genus ''Planaria'' is defined as freshwater triclads with oviducts that unite to form a common oviduct without embracing the

bursa copulatrix ( grc-gre, Προῦσα, Proûsa, Latin: Prusa, ota, بورسه, Arabic:بورصة) is a city in northwestern Turkey and the administrative center of Bursa Province. The fourth-most populous city in Turkey and second-most populous in the ...

and with an adenodactyl present in the male atrium. The testes occur along the whole body. Planaria originally have habitats in dark, murky water which results in such sensitivity (Paskin et al., 2014). They are also sensitive to other stimuli such as chemical gradients, vibration, magnetic and electric fields (Deochand et al., 2018). Their central nervous system includes the anterior (head, brain and eyes) and middle (abdominal trunk and pharynx) (Deochand et al., 2018).

Diet

The food of ''Planaria'' species includes freshwater

gastropod The gastropods (), commonly known as snails and slugs, belong to a large taxonomic class of invertebrates within the phylum Mollusca called Gastropoda (). This class comprises snails and slugs from saltwater, from freshwater, and from land. T ...

tubificid The Naididae (including the former family Tubificidae) are a family of clitellate oligochaete worms like the sludge worm, ''Tubifex tubifex''. They are key components of the benthic communities of many freshwater and marine ecosystems. In fre ...

worms, and freshwater

arthropod Arthropods (, (gen. ποδός)) are invertebrate animals with an exoskeleton, a Segmentation (biology), segmented body, and paired jointed appendages. Arthropods form the phylum Arthropoda. They are distinguished by their jointed limbs and Arth ...

s, such as

isopod Isopoda is an order of crustaceans that includes woodlice and their relatives. Isopods live in the sea, in fresh water, or on land. All have rigid, segmented exoskeletons, two pairs of antennae, seven pairs of jointed limbs on the thorax, an ...

s of the genus ''

Asellus ''Asellus'' is a genus of isopod crustaceans in the family Asellidae. Species Asellus is divided into three subgenera which contain the following species: Asellus Geoffroy, 1764 *'' Asellus alaskensis'' Bowman & Holmquist, 1975https://biostor ...

'' and chironomid larvae. In the United Kingdom, ''P. torva'' is a successful predator of the invasive New Zealand mud snail (''Potamopyrgus jenkinsi'').

Species

The following species are recognised in the genus ''Planaria'': *'' Planaria adhaerens'' *'' Planaria albocingata'' *'' Planaria barroisi'' *'' Planaria bicingulata'' *'' Planaria chulunginensis'' *''

Planaria cincinata ''Planaria'' is a genus of planarians in the family Planariidae. When an individual is cut into pieces, each piece has the ability to regenerate into a fully formed individual. Description Currently the genus ''Planaria'' is defined as fresh ...

'' *'' Planaria cinerea'' *'' Planaria dagarensis'' *'' Planaria debilis'' *''

Planaria delineata ''Planaria'' is a genus of planarians in the family Planariidae. When an individual is cut into pieces, each piece has the ability to regenerate into a fully formed individual. Description Currently the genus ''Planaria'' is defined as fresh ...

'' *''

Planaria dybouskyi ''Planaria'' is a genus of planarians in the family Planariidae. When an individual is cut into pieces, each piece has the ability to regenerate into a fully formed individual. Description Currently the genus ''Planaria'' is defined as fresh ...

'' *''

Planaria flava ''Planaria'' is a genus of planarians in the family Planariidae. When an individual is cut into pieces, each piece has the ability to regenerate into a fully formed individual. Description Currently the genus ''Planaria'' is defined as fresh ...

'' *''

Planaria fontana ''Planaria'' is a genus of planarians in the family Planariidae. When an individual is cut into pieces, each piece has the ability to regenerate into a fully formed individual. Description Currently the genus ''Planaria'' is defined as fresh ...

'' *''

Planaria fuliginosa ''Planaria'' is a genus of planarians in the family Planariidae. When an individual is cut into pieces, each piece has the ability to regenerate into a fully formed individual. Description Currently the genus ''Planaria'' is defined as fresh ...

'' *''

Planaria fuliginosus ''Planaria'' is a genus of planarians in the family Planariidae. When an individual is cut into pieces, each piece has the ability to regenerate into a fully formed individual. Description Currently the genus ''Planaria'' is defined as fresh ...

'' *''

Planaria fulvifrons ''Planaria'' is a genus of planarians in the family Planariidae. When an individual is cut into pieces, each piece has the ability to regenerate into a fully formed individual. Description Currently the genus ''Planaria'' is defined as fresh ...

'' *''

Planaria fuscomaculata ''Planaria'' is a genus of planarians in the family Planariidae. When an individual is cut into pieces, each piece has the ability to regenerate into a fully formed individual. Description Currently the genus ''Planaria'' is defined as fresh ...

'' *''

Planaria gigas ''Planaria'' is a genus of planarians in the family Planariidae. When an individual is cut into pieces, each piece has the ability to regenerate into a fully formed individual. Description Currently the genus ''Planaria'' is defined as fresh ...

'' *''

Planaria grubii ''Planaria'' is a genus of planarians in the family Planariidae. When an individual is cut into pieces, each piece has the ability to regenerate into a fully formed individual. Description Currently the genus ''Planaria'' is defined as fresh ...

'' *''

Planaria ignorata ''Planaria'' is a genus of Tricladida, planarians in the family Planariidae. When an individual is cut into pieces, each piece has the ability to regenerate into a fully formed individual. Description Currently the genus ''Planaria'' is defin ...

'' *'' Planaria incerta'' *'' Planaria kempi'' *'' Planaria lemani'' *''

Planaria lucta ''Planaria'' is a genus of planarians in the family Planariidae. When an individual is cut into pieces, each piece has the ability to regenerate into a fully formed individual. Description Currently the genus ''Planaria'' is defined as fresh ...

'' *'' Planaria luteola'' *'' Planaria macrocephala'' *'' Planaria maculata'' *'' Planaria marmorosa'' *'' Planaria melanocerca'' *''

Planaria melanopunctata ''Planaria'' is a genus of Tricladida, planarians in the family Planariidae. When an individual is cut into pieces, each piece has the ability to regenerate into a fully formed individual. Description Currently the genus ''Planaria'' is defin ...

'' *''

Planaria melanotorquis ''Planaria'' is a genus of planarians in the family Planariidae. When an individual is cut into pieces, each piece has the ability to regenerate into a fully formed individual. Description Currently the genus ''Planaria'' is defined as fresh ...

'' *'' Planaria nesidensis'' *'' Planaria onegensis'' *'' Planaria punctatum'' *'' Planaria rosea'' *'' Planaria rothii'' *'' Planaria sabussowi'' *'' Planaria savignyi'' *'' Planaria semifasciata'' *'' Planaria simplex'' *'' Planaria sinensis'' *'' Planaria subflava'' *'' Planaria torva'' *''

Planaria tremellaris ''Planaria'' is a genus of planarians in the family Planariidae. When an individual is cut into pieces, each piece has the ability to regenerate into a fully formed individual. Description Currently the genus ''Planaria'' is defined as fresh ...

'' *''

Planaria unionicola ''Planaria'' is a genus of planarians in the family Planariidae. When an individual is cut into pieces, each piece has the ability to regenerate into a fully formed individual. Description Currently the genus ''Planaria'' is defined as fresh ...

'' *'' Planaria verrucosa'' *''

Planaria wytegrensis ''Planaria'' is a genus of planarians in the family Planariidae. When an individual is cut into pieces, each piece has the ability to regenerate into a fully formed individual. Description Currently the genus ''Planaria'' is defined as fresh ...

'' *''

Planaria zeylanica ''Planaria'' is a genus of planarians in the family Planariidae. When an individual is cut into pieces, each piece has the ability to regenerate into a fully formed individual. Description Currently the genus ''Planaria'' is defined as fresh ...

References

*Deochand, N., Costello, M. S., & Deochand, M. E. (2018). Behavioral Research with Planaria. Perspectives on behavior science, 41(2), 447–464. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40614-018-00176-w Continenticola Rhabditophora genera {{flatworm-stub