''Pseudoceros bifurcus'' 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 that belongs to the family

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 ...

Common name

Racing stripe flatworm, orange-band flatworm, orange tipped flatworm.

Distribution

Tropical Indo-Pacific, from eastern coast of Africa to Micronesia.

Habitat

Internal slope or top from coral reef.

Size

Up to .

Physical characteristics

"Dorsal surface with a background varying from green-bluish to cream with an intense purple margin without forming a distinctive marginal band. There is orange elongated spot beginning at the cerebral eyespot fading into a white median stripe that ends close to the posterior margin. Cream pseudotentacles formed by simple folds of the anterior margin with numerous ocella. A single cerebral cluster formed by about 30 eyes. Pharynx with elaborated folds."Author Bolanos Marcela, extract from http://polycladida.lifedesks.org/pages/4224

Behavior

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.

External links

Life desk, Pseudoceros bifurcus

Discover Life, Pseudoceros bifurcus

Bibliographical 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, Turbellaria Animals described in 1989 {{flatworm-stub