planarian
Cross-eyed aquatic worm
A planarian is a small freshwater flatworm known for its remarkable ability to regenerate—cut one in half, and each piece grows into a complete worm.
Planarians have a distinctive arrow-shaped head with eyespots that give them a cross-eyed appearance.
They're commonly used in biology classrooms to demonstrate regeneration and basic nervous system function.
Flatworm phylum name
- soft-bodiedLacking internal skeleton
- bilateralInvolving two parties
- eyespotsSimple light-detecting organs
- auriclesEar-shaped body parts
pharynx · hermaphroditic · ciliated · epidermis · ectoderm · mesoderm · endoderm · detritivore
Undifferentiated cells with regenerative potential
- regrowthGrowing back again
- fissionNuclear breakup releasing energy
- wound healingRestoration after injury
- polarityState of opposing forces
head · tail · bisection · pluripotent · morphogenesis · patterning · remodeling · anterior
Facility for scientific investigation
- microscopyTechnique using powerful lenses
- experimentationSystematic testing of ideas
- neuroscienceStudy of nervous systems
- genomicsStudy of entire genetic sequences
methodology · imaging · dissection · amputation · observation · culturing · feeding · liver
Platyhelminthes
Flatworm phylum name
- soft-bodiedLacking internal skeleton
- bilateralInvolving two parties
- eyespotsSimple light-detecting organs
auricles · pharynx · hermaphroditic · ciliated · epidermis · ectoderm · mesoderm · endoderm · detritivore · predatory
stem cells
Undifferentiated cells with regenerative potential
- regrowthGrowing back again
- fissionNuclear breakup releasing energy
- wound healingRestoration after injury
polarity · head · tail · bisection · pluripotent · morphogenesis · patterning · remodeling · anterior · posterior
laboratory
Facility for scientific investigation
- microscopyTechnique using powerful lenses
- experimentationSystematic testing of ideas
- neuroscienceStudy of nervous systems
genomics · methodology · imaging · dissection · amputation · observation · culturing · feeding · liver · behavioral
pond
Small still body
underwater · rocks · debris · habitat · benthic · substrate · sediment · algae · detritus · biofilm
- invertebratesinvertebrate, arthropod, arthropods, mollusk, crustacean
- flat thingssheet, card, plate, disk, tile
- freshwater invertebratescrayfish, freshwater snail, leech, dragonfly nymph, freshwater shrimp
- Lab organismslab rat, lab mouse, white rat, white mouse, albino rat
- regenerating animalsstarfish, sea star, axolotl, salamander, lizard
- flatwormsflatworms, tapeworm, tapeworms, fluke, flukes
planarianearthworm
Segmented soil-dwelling invertebrate
annelid · leech · polychaete · centipede · millipede
planariantapeworm
Segmented intestinal parasite
liver fluke · trematode · hookworm · parasitic worm · fluke