''Pseudoceros monostichos '' is a marine

flatworm The flatworms, flat worms, Platyhelminthes, or platyhelminths (from the Greek πλατύ, ''platy'', meaning "flat" and ἕλμινς (root: ἑλμινθ-), ''helminth-'', meaning "worm") are a phylum of relatively simple bilaterian, unsegment ...

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

that belongs to the

Pseudocerotidae Pseudocerotidae is a family of flatworms which includes the Bedford's flatworm. Pseudocerotidae are simple organisms categorized by their oval bodies and tentacles and bright colors. They use the cilia to glide along surfaces. Most commonly refer ...

family.

Common name

Fine-lined flatworm.

Distribution

Tropical Indo-Pacific, from the Archipelago of

Maldives Maldives (, ; dv, ދިވެހިރާއްޖެ, translit=Dhivehi Raajje, ), officially the Republic of Maldives ( dv, ދިވެހިރާއްޖޭގެ ޖުމްހޫރިއްޔާ, translit=Dhivehi Raajjeyge Jumhooriyyaa, label=none, ), is an archipelag ...

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

Habitat

External slope or top from coral reef.

Size

Up to .

Physical characteristics

"External anatomy: Body tapered posteriorly with a dorsal surface of an unusual dimpled texture. Cream background with a narrow black-brown longitudinal median line which doesn’t reach the anterior and posterior margins. This line is bordered by a white narrow band and surrounded by a light brown narrow band. There are four indistinct marginal bands; the inner one is yellow intensifying to green, then blue and a purple rim. The ventral side is cream with the same marginal bands and a median brown longitudinal stripe. The pseudotentacles are somewhat pointed formed by folds of the anterior margin. The cerebral cluster of eyes is obscured due to dark pigment of the median line. Ruffle pharynx with elaborated folds. Internal anatomy: The male apparatus is formed by a large seminal vesicle connected to an uncoiled ejaculatory duct, oval prostatic vesicle and a small stylet housed in a shallow and wide antrum. The female system is characterized by a shallow antrum with a short and muscular vagina surrounded by the cement glands."Author Bolanos Marcela, extract from
/ref>

Behaviour

Benthic The benthic zone is the ecological region at the lowest level of a body of water such as an ocean, lake, or stream, including the sediment surface and some sub-surface layers. The name comes from ancient Greek, βένθος (bénthos), meaning "t ...

, diurnals, because of its aposematic colors, it has no fear to crawl around to feed.

Feeding

''Pseudoceros monostichos'' feeds on various colonial

ascidian Ascidiacea, commonly known as the ascidians, tunicates (in part), and sea squirts (in part), is a polyphyletic class in the subphylum Tunicata of sac-like marine invertebrate filter feeders. Ascidians are characterized by a tough outer "tunic" ...

References

* Leslie Newman & Lester Cannon, "Marine Flatworms",CSIRO publishing,2003, * Neville Coleman, "Marine life of Maldives",Atoll editions,2004, * Andrea & Antonnella Ferrrari,"Macrolife",Nautilus publishing,2003,

External links

Life Desk, Pseudoceros monostichos

Discover Life, Pseudoceros monostichos

Turbellarian taxonomic database, Pseudoceros monostichos
Turbellaria Animals described in 1994 {{flatworm-stub