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.[2]
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.[3] However, there are species adapted to drier habitats, such as the African savanna.[4]
All Microplana species are carnivores, feeding on other invertebrates. Some are active predators,[5] while others are mainly scavengers.[6]
Species
The genus Microplana includes the following species:[1][7][8]
^ abVila-Farré, Miquel; Sluys, Ronald; Mateos, Eduardo; Jones, Hugh D.; Romero, Rafael (2011). "Land planarians (Platyhelminthes: Tricladida: Geoplanidae) from the Iberian Peninsula: new records and description of two new species, with a discussion on ecology". Journal of Natural History. 45 (15–16): 869–891. doi:10.1080/00222933.2010.536267. ISSN0022-2933.
^Ogren, R. E.; Kawakatsu, M. (1988). "Index to the species of the family Rhynchodemidae (Turbellaria, Tricladida, Terricola) Part I: Rhynchodeminae". Bulletin of Fuji Women's College. 26 (2): 39–91.
^Jones, H. D.; Darlington, Johanna P. E. C.; Newson, R. M. (1990). "A new species of land planarian preying on termites in Kenya (Platyhelminthes: Turbellaria: Tricladida: Terricola)". Journal of Zoology. 220 (2): 249–256. doi:10.1111/j.1469-7998.1990.tb04306.x. ISSN0952-8369.
^Jones, H. D.; Cumming, M. S. (1998). "Feeding behaviour of the termite-eating planarian Microplana termitophaga (Platyhelminthes: Turbellaria: Tricladida: Terricola) in Zimbabwe". Journal of Zoology. 245 (1): 53–64. doi:10.1111/j.1469-7998.1998.tb00071.x.
^McDonald, Jillian C.; Jones, Hugh D. (2014). "Feeding, maintenance and reproduction of Microplana terrestris (Platyhelminthes: Tricladida: Continenticola: Geoplaninae: Microplaninae) under laboratory conditions". Journal of Natural History. 48 (1–2): 1–34. doi:10.1080/00222933.2013.809169.
^Sluys, Ronald; Mateos, Eduardo; Riutort, Marta; Álvarez-presas, Marta (2016). "Towards a comprehensive, integrative analysis of the diversity of European microplaninid land flatworms (Platyhelminthes, Tricladida, Microplaninae), with the description of two peculiar new species". Systematics and Biodiversity. 14 (1): 9–31. doi:10.1080/14772000.2015.1103323. ISSN1477-2000.