Phylum Platyhelminthes

 Phylum Platyhelminthes:

Habit and habitat: Members of thisphylum are mainly ectoparasite or endoparasite of other organisms but a few species are free living. They live in fresh water, drain; stream etc. and some species live in saline water, some member of this phylum live in damp and moist soils

Identifying Characters:

 

a) They are flat bodied, worm like diocious and mostly endoparasitic animals.

 

b)  Body is covered by a thick cuticle.

 

c)  Sucker or hooks are present.

 

d)  Flame cell is the excretory organ.

 

e)  Digestive system incomplete or absent.

 

Example: Taenia soliumTape worm Fasciola hepatica liver fluke.