Rhabditophora

thumb|Unidentified planarian

Rhabditophora (from rhabdito-, rhabdite + Greek -φορος [-phoros], bearer, i.e., "rhabdite bearers") is a subphylum (previously a class) of flatworms. It includes all parasitic flatworms (clade Neodermata) and most free-living species that were previously grouped in the now obsolete class Turbellaria. Therefore, it contains the majority of the species in the phylum Platyhelminthes, excluding only the catenulids, to which they appear to be the sister group.

Neodermata is a clade of rhabditophoran flatworms containing the parasitic groups Trematoda, Monogenea and Cestoda.

Species of flatworm

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 symbiotically with other animals.

Proseriata is an order of free-living flatworms in the class Rhabditophora with over 400 species described worldwide.

Macrostomidae is a family of small basal free-living flatworms, and are found in marine, brackish, and freshwater environments. There are currently about 180 named species in this family.

Macrostomorpha is a clade of free living flatworms in the group Rhabditophora.

species of worm

Plagiostomidae is a family of marine, free-living flatworms in the order Prolecithophora.

Fecampiida is an order of flatworms in the class Rhabditophora. It is a considerably recent clade, erected after molecular studies.

species of worm

species of worm

The Lecithoepitheliata are an order of rhabditophoran flatworms. They are free-living worms, found in freshwater, soil, and marine environments. However, it is still poorly known their roles in the natural food web.

species of worm