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How to Cut Planaria

Planaria are free-swimming flatworms that live in fresh or salty water and in moist soil. They have a three-branched digestive cavity, a broad ciliated body and a mouth on the lower side. Planaria are nonparasitic and are black, white or gray in color, with a triangular head. They can grow back their missing parts when cut.

Things You'll Need

2 small Petri dishes
Marker
Spring water
5 samples of planaria
Plastic transfer pipette
1 large Petri dish
Paper towels
Magnifying glass
Scalpel

Instructions

- 1
  Label the bottom of the two small Petri dishes "1" and "2" with the marker. Fill the dishes halfway with the spring water.
- 2
  Put the planaria into the first Petri dish.
- 3
  Use the plastic transfer pipette to move one of the planaria into the large Petri dish.
- 4
  Soak up excess water out of the large Petri dish, using one of the paper towels.
- 5
  Observe the structure of the planaria under the magnifying glass to get a full view of the body parts that are to be separated.
- 6
  Cut down hard at each end of the thorax, or middle section, of each of the five planaria to separate the head and tail, using the scalpel.
- 7
  Transfer the cut pieces with the pipette into the second Petri dish to prevent them from dying.

Animals & Science