Platyhelminthes Nemertea and Annelida

This page is actually three in one. I have combined the flat worms (Platyhelminthes) ribbon and round worms (Nemertea) and Annelita worms. The flat worms are interesting animals. They have an incomplete digestive system, and their three layers of cells are bilaterally symetrical. The flat worms are also all cornavors with usually visible pigmented eye spots. The ribbon and round worms on the other hand are colorfull, slender and highly elastic in length. They unlike flat worms have a complete digestive and circulatory system as do all the phylums from this point on. Nemerta is also differen from Platyhelminthes by the fact that it uses its proboscis to catch prey. The phylum Annelida is very simmilar to Nemerta. They both have bilateral symetry and complete circulatrory systems. Annelida however has segmentation of body (usually with groups of brissels) and a complete excretory system. Clam worms, Scale worms, and the Calcareous tube worm make up this phylum. An example of an Annelida worm is in the picture below.

The picture is of a type of flat worm, it is called a giant leaf worm. One that you are may likely see is the speckled flatworm. It is a soft, flat unsegmented animal with no appendages. Look for it underneath rocks in middle and lower intertidal areas. They are beige with a mouth half way down their under side and brown speckles on top. Maybe if you get lucky you'll see the flat worm pin down an amphipod or other worm and eat it whole! I'm ready to turn the page!