At the beginning of the study of biology, many students are asked the question: "What sets the body of a flatworm in motion?" Naturally, most of them cannot even give the correct answer to this difficult riddle.
general information
Flatworms are one of many amazing representatives of our planet and its unique nature. More flatworms belong to the category of predators. Some flatworms also prefer a comfortable life within the human or animal body to free swimming.
Once in the body of a living creature, such worms cause malaise and a variety of diseases. The sizes of such worms are also very ambiguous. Some individuals are only one to two millimeters long, while others can grow twenty meters long.
It would seem that there simply cannot be anything interesting in worms. Huge information about them can provide everyone with biology (type - flatworms). The description and all useful information about them is widely presented in many textbooks on this subject.
How a flatworm moves
So, what drives the body of a flatworm?
- Flatworms belonging to the category of free-living can move either crawling or swimming. A similar movement occurs due to the skin-muscle bag and cilia. Due to the contraction of various muscle groups, worm-shaped movements occur.
- Worms belonging to the class of parasitic can move around using suction cups during their movement.
- What sets in motion the body of a flatworm belonging to the category of tapeworms? Their body is very flexible, in addition, it is covered with a large number of cilia. It is from this that the name of their group came from. Due to its structure, these worms can move not only directly due to the constant contraction of their muscles, but also due to the beating of their numerous cilia.
- It is worth noting that the body of a flatworm sets in motion a large number of suction cups located on its body, thanks to which it can stick to the ground and pull its body, as caterpillars usually do.
Interesting facts about flatworms
All flatworms have one unusual feature that distinguishes them from other creatures in nature - this is their ability to turn their bodies inside out.
Some worms that have settled in the body of a living creature can grow in size up to twenty-two meters. Do not even argue that this is not only an amazing fact, but terrible at the same time.
All flatworms have the ability to regenerate. From one small piece of such a worm, one full-fledged individual of this species may well develop. In adverse conditions, all planetariums, which include tapeworms, can disintegrate into separate pieces. As soon as the conditions for their life become normal again, the worm again takes on its previous form.
A riddle for scientists around the world
Many scientists have been racking their brains over an organism for a rather long period of time, which differed from all others in its cruciform shape. After a certain period of time, this puzzle was solved. It turned out that the animal, which has two heads and two tails each, is two worms that stick tightly to each other.
Of course, there are not so many amazing facts about these worms, but they are. Even though small animals have far fewer mysteries than their large counterparts, they are also important and needed by nature.
Flatworms bring people not only harm, but also invaluable benefits, so they need to be interested. You should know what drives the body of a flat worm.