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- Kingdom - Animals - Animalia
  - Phylum - Flatworms - Platyhelminthes
    - Class - Flatworms - Turbellaria
      - Order - Flatworms - Tricladida
        
        Family - (Planariidae) - Planariidae
        
        Species - A Planarid Worm - Polycelis coronata

A Planarid Worm - Polycelis coronata

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Native Species

Global Rank: GNR
State Rank: S5

Agency Status
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General Description

This flatworm species is a cold-water stenotherm (preferring water tempertures in the range of 6-10 degrees C) and occurs throughout Montana's small mountian streams east and west fo the Continental divide and especially in cold spring-influenced streams and creeks. You can find them clinging underneath cobbles and boulders during the day and patrolling during the evening looking for food, generally scavengers, eating other dead invertebrates or vertebrates.

Diagnostic Characteristics

The diagnostic feature that separates this flatworm species from other Turbellarians is the ring of eyes that form a semi-circle across the head.

Range Comments

This cold-water flatworm occurs throughout Montana's mountian streams east and west fo the Continental divide and especially in cold spring-influenced streams and creeks.

Observations in Montana Natural Heritage Program Database

Number of Observations: 216

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Relative Density

Recency

(Observations spanning multiple months or years are excluded from time charts)

References

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Dragonflies / Damselflies

Ferns and allies

Conifers

Flowering Plants (Dicots)

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Citation for data on this website:
A Planarid Worm — Polycelis coronata. Montana Field Guide. Montana Natural Heritage Program. Retrieved on May 18, 2024, from https://FieldGuide.mt.gov/speciesDetail.aspx?elcode=IPTUR10020