Sealife guideThe persian carpet flatwormPseudobiceros bedfordi
Taxonomy
- Common name: Persian carpet flatworm
- French name: Ver plat tapis persan
- Scientific name: Pseudobiceros bedfordi (Laidlaw, 1903)
- Family name: Pseudocerotidae
- Order name: Polycladida
- Class name: Turbellaria
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 typically measures between 3.1 and 3.9 inches in length.
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 CommonsWithin the same genus
Red-rim flatworm
(Pseudobiceros splendidus)
Within the same family
Leopard flatworm
(Euplanoida pardalis)
Orange flatworm
(Yungia aurantiaca)
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(Pseudobiceros bedfordi)
Thornback cowfish
(Lactoria fornasini)
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