Flatworm

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Heliozian
Posts: 25
Joined: Fri Jan 22, 2021 12:01 am

Flatworm

#1 Post by Heliozian » Mon May 03, 2021 7:19 pm

Hello folks

I think this is probably a flatworm but after that rather broad description I've discovered that flatworms are a much more genera-rich lot than I'd assumed.

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Can anyone point me in the right direction. My only reference which includes flatworms is Das Leben Im Wassertropfen but nothing in there is really looking like it with the tiny wide set eyes either side of the set back mouth and groups of black dots up each side. I suspect this one might be in the early stages of division as the back end is starting to look like a copy of the front.

I failed to write it down bit I think it was around 380 microns long and it came from a sample of slimy bark out of a pond which I've had sitting here from some weeks. The one in the video has three Arcella (in the broadest sense) in its gut. It looks as if it had swallowed three donuts!

Any hints on getting flatworms to genus would be most appreciated.

Many thanks

Ian

ps - I've found more pics - specifically of the shape of the mouth which is on a thickened part of the body with the part forward of the mouth being much thinner. The mouth is visible as the top end of the gut in these pics (and the donuts are visible too!) Also in the one with the Arcella inside it the clumps of black dots are clearly around the gut so I'm guessing they might be connected with digestion.

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https://www.instagram.com/iansmicroscopes
Motic BA310E & Moticam S3
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75RR
Posts: 8207
Joined: Sun Oct 12, 2014 2:34 am
Location: Estepona, Spain

Re: Flatworm

#2 Post by 75RR » Mon May 03, 2021 10:18 pm

.
Perhaps a Stenostomum sp.
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Heliozian
Posts: 25
Joined: Fri Jan 22, 2021 12:01 am

Re: Flatworm

#3 Post by Heliozian » Mon May 03, 2021 10:58 pm

Many thanks, Stenostomum unicolor looks like a very plausible match. They look like a fascinating group. I've only been aware of the macroscopic members in the past so am.intrigued to find there are lots of microscopic species too and to find out a bit more about them.
https://www.instagram.com/iansmicroscopes
Motic BA310E & Moticam S3
Olympus SZIII

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