2 
f AT*iSi 
toot) 
Flue worms arc mainly mcat-cutc-rs 
The parasirir one* Iced on our blood 
or the lood in our intestines. Free- 
living. or non-parasitic, flatworms 
Iced on very small animals. Some also 
cat the dead bodies ol' bigger animals 
A few flatworrm are fed by tiny algat 
living inside their (issues. 
Flat worms live in damp places 
They occur in the sea and seashore, 
in fresh water, and on the forest floor 
in moist tropical forests. Parasitic 
flat worms live inside a host animal 
Flat worms arc simple animals 
They have flattened bodies with onl\ 
a lew layers of cells. The bodies of 
most flat worms, however, arc 
arranged in rhr same way as other, 
more complex animals. Most 
flat worms have a head, mouth, and 
eyes or cyespots. They have a nervous 
system and a reproductive system 
Most of them have a digestive system 
Flatworms have no lungs or gills 
They use the surface of their bodies 
to talce oxygen from water or damp 
air. 
Flatworms mate and lay eggs 
Usually, flatworms arc both male and 
female; they mate and exchange 
sperm. Some flatworms can fertilise 
themselves Many flatworms arc also 
able to reproduce asexually - one 
flarworm dividing into two or more. 
Parasitic flatworms have complex 
life histories (pages F5> Some ot 
them simply lung onro the outside 
ol fishes and tuttlcs. Others must 
spend part of their lives in one hosr 
animal, and another part in another 
host Some parasitic flatworms live 
their lives in three different hosts. 
Acknowledgements: 
Alex Maikay. I) Davis and Dr. Rees 
kindly provided intormarion; 
Maryanne kamuu wrote some of the 
original text; and Dr. Kocn Maes 
kindly read through this version. 
Illustrations from R.unbou magazine. 
April 1988, by Nani Croze. Arabron 
Osjiu a-\ v viici|u» and Ruy Mudibu. 
An earlier version of this series of 
articles lirst appeared in Rambou 
magazine 
References: 
Brusca. R.( & t> J Brusca. 1990, 
hiirritbrum. Smaller Associates, Inc, 
USA 
Buchsbaiim. R . 1948. Animals 
UirlioUt liai’bbtinti. Penguin Books 
Richmond, M.D. «rd». 1997. A C.utde 
rofbt Srai bum <>/ Eastern Africa. Sub I 
Department lor Research 
Cooperation. SAKHC 
Zim. II S. and L. Ingle. 1955.1 
Stmhom. (.loldrn Press. New York 
