Microplana

Microplana is a genus of land planarians found in Europe and Africa.[1]

Microplana
Microplana robusta
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Platyhelminthes
Class:
Rhabditophora
Order:
Tricladida
Suborder:
Continenticola
Family:
Geoplanidae
Subfamily:
Microplaninae
Genus:
Microplana

Vejdovsky, 1890
Type species
Microplana humicola
Vejdovsky, 1890

Description

The genus Microplana is characterized by having an elongate, rounded body and generally only two eyes. The copulatory apparatus has a permanent conical penis with a muscular bulbus projecting into a short atrium. A genito-intestinal canal or a bursa copulatrix is usually present, connecting the intestine to the female atrium.[2]

Ecology

Species of Microplana are adapted to different habitats. Most species occur in temperate forests, including beech, oak, pine and mixed forests, and seem to prefer neutral to basic soils, with pH values above 6.[3] However, there are species adapted to drier habitats, such as the African savanna.[4]

All Microplana species are carnivores, feeding on other invertebrates. Some are active predators,[5] while others are mainly scavengers.[6]

Species

The genus Microplana includes the following species:[1][7][8]

References
  1. Vila-Farré, Miquel; Sluys, Ronald; Mateos, Eduardo; Jones, Hugh D.; Romero, Rafael (2011). "Land planarians (Platyhelminthes: Tricladida: Geoplanidae) from the Iberian Peninsula: new records and description of two new species, with a discussion on ecology". Journal of Natural History. 45 (15–16): 869–891. doi:10.1080/00222933.2010.536267. ISSN 0022-2933.
  2. Ogren, R. E.; Kawakatsu, M. (1988). "Index to the species of the family Rhynchodemidae (Turbellaria, Tricladida, Terricola) Part I: Rhynchodeminae". Bulletin of Fuji Women's College. 26 (2): 39–91.
  3. Álvarez‐Presas, Marta; Mateos, Eduardo; Riutort, Marta (2018). "Hidden diversity in forest soils: Characterization and comparison of terrestrial flatworm's communities in two national parks in Spain" (PDF). Ecology and Evolution. 8 (15): 7386–7400. doi:10.1002/ece3.4178. ISSN 2045-7758. PMC 6106173. PMID 30151158.
  4. Jones, H. D.; Darlington, Johanna P. E. C.; Newson, R. M. (1990). "A new species of land planarian preying on termites in Kenya (Platyhelminthes: Turbellaria: Tricladida: Terricola)". Journal of Zoology. 220 (2): 249–256. doi:10.1111/j.1469-7998.1990.tb04306.x. ISSN 0952-8369.
  5. Jones, H. D.; Cumming, M. S. (1998). "Feeding behaviour of the termite-eating planarian Microplana termitophaga (Platyhelminthes: Turbellaria: Tricladida: Terricola) in Zimbabwe". Journal of Zoology. 245 (1): 53–64. doi:10.1111/j.1469-7998.1998.tb00071.x.
  6. McDonald, Jillian C.; Jones, Hugh D. (2014). "Feeding, maintenance and reproduction of Microplana terrestris (Platyhelminthes: Tricladida: Continenticola: Geoplaninae: Microplaninae) under laboratory conditions". Journal of Natural History. 48 (1–2): 1–34. doi:10.1080/00222933.2013.809169.
  7. Sluys, Ronald; Mateos, Eduardo; Riutort, Marta; Álvarez-presas, Marta (2016). "Towards a comprehensive, integrative analysis of the diversity of European microplaninid land flatworms (Platyhelminthes, Tricladida, Microplaninae), with the description of two peculiar new species". Systematics and Biodiversity. 14 (1): 9–31. doi:10.1080/14772000.2015.1103323. ISSN 1477-2000.
  8. Mateos, Eduardo; Sluys, Ronald; Riutort, Marta; Álvarez-Presas, Marta (2017-06-30). "Species richness in the genus Microplana (Platyhelminthes, Tricladida, Microplaninae) in Europe: as yet no asymptote in sight". Invertebrate Systematics. 31 (3): 269–301. doi:10.1071/IS16038. ISSN 1447-2600. Retrieved 2017-05-13.
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