Macrostomum[1] is a genus of
flatworm with a
worldwide distribution,[2][3][4] with over a hundred species described to date.[2] These
hermaphroditic,
free-living flatworms are usually small in size, with large species reaching up to 5 mm in body length (e.g. Macrostomum tuba). They are usually transparent, and the smaller species appear rather round in cross-section than dorsoventrally flattened.
Name
The term "Macrostomum", meaning "big-mouthed", derives from the
Greek μάκρος makros, "large", and στόμα, stoma, mouth. Relative to other
turbellaria, Macrostomum species have indeed a long mouth, connected to the gut by a muscular pharynx which can expand, in certain species, to almost the width of the animal.
Ecology
Macrostomum species inhabit different aquatic or moist environments.[2][3][4]Marine and
brackish species are often interstitial (living in the space between grains of sediment), whereas
freshwater species are also frequently found associated with aquatic plants. Many of these small worms feed on unicellular
algae such as
diatoms, others on
zooplankton or smaller
benthicinvertebrates.[3]
Species
This genus includes Macrostomum lignano,[5] a new model organism for studies on different areas of biology, including development,[6] bioadhesion,[7] regeneration,[8] stem cell biology,[9] ageing,[10] toxicology,[11] genomics,[12] and evolution.[13]
The following species are recognised in the genus Macrostomum:
^
abFerguson, Frederick F. (1954-01-01). "Monograph of the Macrostomine Worms of Turbellaria". Transactions of the American Microscopical Society. 73 (2): 137–164.
doi:
10.2307/3223751.
JSTOR3223751.
^Ladurner, Peter; Egger, Bernhard; Mulder, Katrien De; Pfister, Daniela; Kuales, Georg; Salvenmoser, Willi; Schärer, Lukas (2008-01-01). "The Stem Cell System of the Basal Flatworm Macrostomum lignano". In Bosch, Thomas C. G. (ed.). Stem Cells. Springer Netherlands. pp. 75–94.
doi:
10.1007/978-1-4020-8274-0_5.
ISBN9781402082733.
^Mouton, Stijn; Willems, Maxime; Braeckman, Bart P.; Egger, Bernhard; Ladurner, Peter; Schärer, Lukas; Borgonie, Gaetan (2009-04-01). "The free-living flatworm Macrostomum lignano: A new model organism for ageing research". Experimental Gerontology. 44 (4): 243–249.
doi:
10.1016/j.exger.2008.11.007.
PMID19111920.
S2CID2198373.
^Willems, Maxime; Stevens, An-Sofie; Adriaens, Els; Plusquin, Michelle; Smeets, Karen; Van Goethem, Freddy; Vanparys, Philippe; Janssen, Colin; Remon, Jean-Paul (2015-09-01). "An Adult Stem Cell Proliferation Assay in the Flatworm Model Macrostomum lignano to Predict the Carcinogenicity of Compounds". Applied in Vitro Toxicology. 1 (3): 213–219.
doi:
10.1089/aivt.2015.0011.
ISSN2332-1512.
^
abZhang, Siyu; Shi, Yongshi; Zeng, Zicheng; Xin, Fan; Deng, Li; Wang, Antai (9 March 2021). "Two New Brackish-Water Species of Macrostomum (Platyhelminthes: Macrostomorpha) from China and Their Phylogenetic Positions". Zoological Science. 38 (3): 273–286.
doi:
10.2108/zs200121.
ISSN0289-0003.
PMID34057353.
S2CID233675129.
Macrostomum[1] is a genus of
flatworm with a
worldwide distribution,[2][3][4] with over a hundred species described to date.[2] These
hermaphroditic,
free-living flatworms are usually small in size, with large species reaching up to 5 mm in body length (e.g. Macrostomum tuba). They are usually transparent, and the smaller species appear rather round in cross-section than dorsoventrally flattened.
Name
The term "Macrostomum", meaning "big-mouthed", derives from the
Greek μάκρος makros, "large", and στόμα, stoma, mouth. Relative to other
turbellaria, Macrostomum species have indeed a long mouth, connected to the gut by a muscular pharynx which can expand, in certain species, to almost the width of the animal.
Ecology
Macrostomum species inhabit different aquatic or moist environments.[2][3][4]Marine and
brackish species are often interstitial (living in the space between grains of sediment), whereas
freshwater species are also frequently found associated with aquatic plants. Many of these small worms feed on unicellular
algae such as
diatoms, others on
zooplankton or smaller
benthicinvertebrates.[3]
Species
This genus includes Macrostomum lignano,[5] a new model organism for studies on different areas of biology, including development,[6] bioadhesion,[7] regeneration,[8] stem cell biology,[9] ageing,[10] toxicology,[11] genomics,[12] and evolution.[13]
The following species are recognised in the genus Macrostomum:
^
abFerguson, Frederick F. (1954-01-01). "Monograph of the Macrostomine Worms of Turbellaria". Transactions of the American Microscopical Society. 73 (2): 137–164.
doi:
10.2307/3223751.
JSTOR3223751.
^Ladurner, Peter; Egger, Bernhard; Mulder, Katrien De; Pfister, Daniela; Kuales, Georg; Salvenmoser, Willi; Schärer, Lukas (2008-01-01). "The Stem Cell System of the Basal Flatworm Macrostomum lignano". In Bosch, Thomas C. G. (ed.). Stem Cells. Springer Netherlands. pp. 75–94.
doi:
10.1007/978-1-4020-8274-0_5.
ISBN9781402082733.
^Mouton, Stijn; Willems, Maxime; Braeckman, Bart P.; Egger, Bernhard; Ladurner, Peter; Schärer, Lukas; Borgonie, Gaetan (2009-04-01). "The free-living flatworm Macrostomum lignano: A new model organism for ageing research". Experimental Gerontology. 44 (4): 243–249.
doi:
10.1016/j.exger.2008.11.007.
PMID19111920.
S2CID2198373.
^Willems, Maxime; Stevens, An-Sofie; Adriaens, Els; Plusquin, Michelle; Smeets, Karen; Van Goethem, Freddy; Vanparys, Philippe; Janssen, Colin; Remon, Jean-Paul (2015-09-01). "An Adult Stem Cell Proliferation Assay in the Flatworm Model Macrostomum lignano to Predict the Carcinogenicity of Compounds". Applied in Vitro Toxicology. 1 (3): 213–219.
doi:
10.1089/aivt.2015.0011.
ISSN2332-1512.
^
abZhang, Siyu; Shi, Yongshi; Zeng, Zicheng; Xin, Fan; Deng, Li; Wang, Antai (9 March 2021). "Two New Brackish-Water Species of Macrostomum (Platyhelminthes: Macrostomorpha) from China and Their Phylogenetic Positions". Zoological Science. 38 (3): 273–286.
doi:
10.2108/zs200121.
ISSN0289-0003.
PMID34057353.
S2CID233675129.