Notoplana acticola
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Article Draft
| Notoplana acticola | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Platyhelminthes |
| Order: | Polycladida |
| Family: | Notoplanidae |
| Genus: | Notoplana |
| Species: | N. Acticola
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| Binomial name | |
| Notoplana Acticola | |
Habitat
The Notoplana acticola species are commonly located on the undersides of cobble stones, boulders, and other mussel beds which are found in rocky intertidal areas. This intertidal area receives a systematic exchange of water. When they are collected for biological purposes, they are normally found in tidal pools. Notoplana Acticola are commonly found in the Pacific Ocean off of the coast of North America, specifically California.
Behavior
The Notoplana Acticola species is one of the most primitive animals that possesses a brain. They are able to acknowledge and ingest prey with the absence of the brain. Other polyclads do not acquire this ability, they have a tubular pharynx while Notoplana Acticola have a plicate pharynx. Species that present a tubular pharynx cannot feed unless the brain is present. Notoplana acticola crawl along rocks in intertidal locations by using a muscular retrograde wave. The retrograde motion is used for forward and backward locomotion. The antero-posterior wave can be reversed, which changes the locomotion direction. Notoplana has the ability to reverse the direction symmetrically by rotating the direction of their locomotory waves.