Typhloplanidae is a family of
flatworm
Platyhelminthes (from the Greek language, Greek πλατύ, ''platy'', meaning "flat" and ἕλμινς (root: ἑλμινθ-), ''helminth-'', meaning "worm") is a Phylum (biology), phylum of relatively simple bilaterian, Segmentation (biology), ...
s in the order
Rhabdocoela
Rhabdocoela is an order of flatworms in the class Rhabditophora with about 1700 species described worldwide. The order was first described in 1831 by Christian Gottfried Ehrenberg. Most of rhabdocoels are free-living organisms, but some live sym ...
.
It is one of the most species-rich families of Rhabdocoela, comprising around 300 species. They inhabit freshwater, estuarine, marine and terrestrial habitats. They can be benthic or pelagic. Typhloplanidae are predatory. They can reach high densities in their habitats. Most representatives are 1 to 5 mm in length, but a few species, like ''
Mesostoma ehrenbergii'', can reach up to 1.5 cm.
Subfamilies and genera (incomplete):
* Subfamily Ascophorinae
Findenegg, 1924
* Subfamily Mesophaenocorinae
Norena, Brusa, Ponce de Leon & Damborenea, 2005
* Subfamily Mesostominae
Hyman, 1955
** Genus ''
Bothromesostoma''
Braun, 1885
** Genus ''
Mesostoma''
Ehrenberg, 1837
* Subfamily Olisthanellinae
Luther, 1904
* Subfamily Opistominae
Luther, 1963
** Genus ''
Opistomum''
Schmidt, 1848
* Subfamily Phaenocorinae
Wahl, 1910
* Subfamily Protoplanellinae
Reisinger, 1924
* Subfamily Rhynchomesostominae
Bresslau, 1933
** Genus ''
Rhynchomesostoma''
Luther, 1904
* Subfamily Typhloplaninae
Luther, 1904
References
Platyhelminthes families
Rhabdocoela
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