planarian

Thân thiện

A student observes a planarian gliding in a clear petri dish.

Definition

Noun: A small, soft-bodied, free-swimming flatworm, typically found in freshwater environments. Planarians are known for their simple anatomy, bilateral symmetry, and remarkable regenerative abilities, making them a common subject for biological and laboratory studies.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The biology class observed the planarian under a microscope to study its simple nervous system.
  • Scientists are fascinated by the planarian's ability to regenerate its entire body from a tiny fragment.

Advanced Usage

• "Planarian regeneration": A specific term referring to the unique biological process where a planarian can regrow lost body parts, including its head and brain.
  • Research on planarian regeneration may provide insights into human tissue repair.

Variants and Related Words

• Planaria (n): Often used as a plural form or an alternative singular form for planarian.
  • The jar contained several planaria collected from the stream.
• Turbellarian (n): A member of the class Turbellaria, which includes planarians and other free-living flatworms.
  • Planarians belong to the larger group of turbellarian flatworms.

Synonyms

• Flatworm: A general term for worms in the phylum Platyhelminthes, which includes planarians.
• Dugesia: The genus name for a common type of planarian used in labs (e.g., ).

Related Phrases / Terms

• Planarian stem cells (neoblasts): The unique, pluripotent cells responsible for a planarian's regeneration.
  • The key to a planarian's healing power lies in its neoblasts.

Học thuật

Noun

1. free-swimming mostly freshwater flatworms; popular in laboratory studies for the ability to regenerate lost parts

Từ đồng nghĩa

• planaria