Sealife guideThe persian carpet flatwormPseudobiceros bedfordi
Last updated on 02/18/2025 at 12:18 PM
Taxonomy
English names
Persian carpet flatworm
French namesVer plat tapis persan
Scientific namePseudobiceros bedfordi (Laidlaw, 1903)
FamilyPseudocerotidae
OrderPolycladida
ClassTurbellaria
Description
The persian carpet flatworm has a body with a smooth, flat dorsal surface and slightly wavy edges. The coloration of the persian carpet flatworm ranges from brown to black and is adorned with pink transverse lines and a multitude of tiny bright yellow spots, forming distinctive patterns resembling those of a persian rug.

The persian carpet flatworm (Pseudobiceros bedfordi) © Gerald Robert Fischer | Dreamstime.com
The persian carpet flatworm typically measures between 3.1 and 3.9 inches in length.
Geographic range
The persian carpet flatworm is primarily found in the tropical and subtropical waters of the Indo-Pacific region.
Habitat
The persian carpet flatworm is mainly found in the shallow waters of coral reefs and rocky areas, typically between 16 and 98 feet deep.
Diet
The patterns of the persian carpet flatworm serve as a defense mechanism to signal its toxicity to potential predators and deter them from attacking.
The flatworms of this species often hide in crevices and rocky recesses during the day, emerging at night to feed.
Reproduction
The persian carpet flatworm is hermaphroditic, possessing both male and female reproductive organs. During mating, two individuals engage in a fight where each attempts to inject sperm into the other while avoiding being fertilized.
This behavior, observed in several species of flatworms, is a form of sexual competition aimed at maximizing the reproductive success of individuals.
Did you know ?
Like many planarians, the persian carpet flatworm has a remarkable ability to regenerate. If a part of its body is separated, the animal can regenerate the missing part, which is a characteristic trait of flatworms in general.

The persian carpet flatworm (Pseudobiceros bedfordi) © Rickard Zerpe sous licence Creative Commons
Within the same genus
Within the same family
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