Login
Login

Microplana

{{Short description|Genus of flatworms}}

{{Automatic taxobox

| image = Microplana sp2.JPG

| image_caption = Microplana robusta

| taxon = Microplana

| authority = Vejdovsky, 1890

| type_species = Microplana humicola

| type_species_authority = Vejdovsky, 1890

| synonyms = * Orthodemus Hyman, 1954

}}

Microplana is a genus of land planarians found in Europe and Africa.{{cite journal|last1=Vila-Farré|first1=Miquel|last2=Sluys|first2=Ronald|last3=Mateos|first3=Eduardo|last4=Jones|first4=Hugh D.|last5=Romero|first5=Rafael|title=Land planarians (Platyhelminthes: Tricladida: Geoplanidae) from the Iberian Peninsula: new records and description of two new species, with a discussion on ecology|journal=Journal of Natural History|volume=45|issue=15–16|year=2011|pages=869–891|issn=0022-2933|doi=10.1080/00222933.2010.536267}}

Description

Species of the genus Microplana are 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.{{cite journal | last1 = Ogren | first1 = R. E. | last2 = Kawakatsu | first2 = M. | year = 1988 | title = Index to the species of the family Rhynchodemidae (Turbellaria, Tricladida, Terricola) Part I: Rhynchodeminae | journal = Bulletin of Fuji Women's College | volume = 26 | issue = 2| pages = 39–91 }}

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.{{cite journal | last1 = Álvarez‐Presas | first1 = Marta | last2 = Mateos | first2 = Eduardo | last3 = Riutort | first3 = Marta | title = Hidden diversity in forest soils: Characterization and comparison of terrestrial flatworm's communities in two national parks in Spain | journal = Ecology and Evolution | volume = 8 | issue = 15 | year = 2018 | pages = 7386–7400 | issn = 2045-7758 | doi = 10.1002/ece3.4178| pmid = 30151158 | url = http://diposit.ub.edu/dspace/bitstream/2445/133083/1/680374.pdf | pmc=6106173}} However, there are species adapted to drier habitats, such as the African savanna.{{cite journal | last1 = Jones | first1 = H. D. | last2 = Darlington | first2 = Johanna P. E. C. | last3 = Newson | first3 = R. M. | title = A new species of land planarian preying on termites in Kenya (Platyhelminthes: Turbellaria: Tricladida: Terricola) | journal = Journal of Zoology | volume = 220 | issue = 2 | year = 1990 | pages = 249–256 | issn = 0952-8369 | doi = 10.1111/j.1469-7998.1990.tb04306.x}}

All Microplana species are carnivores, feeding on other invertebrates. Some are active predators,{{cite journal | last1 = Jones | first1 = H. D. | last2 = Cumming | first2 = M. S. | title = Feeding behaviour of the termite-eating planarian Microplana termitophaga (Platyhelminthes: Turbellaria: Tricladida: Terricola) in Zimbabwe | journal = Journal of Zoology | volume = 245 | issue = 1 | year = 1998 | pages = 53–64| doi = 10.1111/j.1469-7998.1998.tb00071.x }} while others are mainly scavengers.{{cite journal |author=McDonald, Jillian C. |author2=Jones, Hugh D. |year=2014 |title=Feeding, maintenance and reproduction of Microplana terrestris (Platyhelminthes: Tricladida: Continenticola: Geoplaninae: Microplaninae) under laboratory conditions |journal=Journal of Natural History |volume=48 |issue=1–2 |pages=1–34 |doi=10.1080/00222933.2013.809169 }}

Species

The genus Microplana includes the following species:{{cite journal|last1=Sluys|first1=Ronald|last2=Mateos|first2=Eduardo|last3=Riutort|first3=Marta|last4=Álvarez-presas|first4=Marta|title=Towards a comprehensive, integrative analysis of the diversity of European microplaninid land flatworms (Platyhelminthes, Tricladida, Microplaninae), with the description of two peculiar new species|journal=Systematics and Biodiversity|volume=14|issue=1|year=2016|pages=9–31|issn=1477-2000|doi=10.1080/14772000.2015.1103323}}{{Cite journal| doi = 10.1071/IS16038| issn = 1447-2600| volume = 31| issue = 3| pages = 269–301| last1 = Mateos| first1 = Eduardo| last2 = Sluys| first2 = Ronald| last3 = Riutort| first3 = Marta| last4 = Álvarez-Presas| first4 = Marta| title = Species richness in the genus Microplana (Platyhelminthes, Tricladida, Microplaninae) in Europe: as yet no asymptote in sight| journal = Invertebrate Systematics| access-date = 2017-05-13| date = 2017-06-30| url = http://www.publish.csiro.au/IS/IS16038| url-access = subscription}}

{{div col}}

{{div col end}}

References

{{Reflist}}

{{Taxonbar|from=Q6839909}}

Category:Geoplanidae