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| flatworms text index | photo index |
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worms > Phylum Platyhelminthes >
Class
Turbellaria > Order Polycladida
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| Lightning
flatworm Pseudobiceros fulgor * Family Pseudocerotidae updated Feb 2020 Where seen? This flatworm with a crackle of fine lines is often seen on our shores, on coral rubble and near reefs. 'Fulgor' means 'brilliant' or 'flashy' or 'lightning' and 'splendor' in Latin. Features: 8-10cm long. Usually with deep ruffles. Body red, brown to black, with fine white parallel lines from the centre to the sides. Black wide margin with fine white lines parallel to the edge.The underside is plain pink with wide plain black margin. It has a pair of pseudotentacles that are ear-like and pointed and made up of simple folded edges of the body. Juveniles may have fewer lines. |
 Chek Jawa, Jul 18 |
 Underside plain pink. |
 Erect pseudotentacles. |
 Black wide margin with fine lines. |
 Underside with wide black margin. |
| Worm floating on water surface, then crawls when reaching a seagrass blade. Is this how it moves longer distances than it could by crawling slowly? |
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| Lightning flatworms on Singapore shores |
On wildsingapore
flickr
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| Other sightings on Singapore shores |
 Changi, Dec 17 Photo shared by Loh Kok Sheng on facebook. |
 Changi, Dec 18 Photo shared by Abel Yeo on facebook. |
 Changi Carpark 7, May 21 Photo shared by Loh Kok Sheng on facebook. |
 Pulau Semakau, Feb 08 |
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Acknowledgement Grateful thanks to Rene Ong for sharing details and identifying the flatworms on this page. References
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Sea Challengers. 314pp.