Slender Spring Flatworm
Phagocata gracilis (Haldeman, 1840)
Taxonomy
| Kingdom | Animalia |
|---|---|
| Phylum | Platyhelminthes |
| Class | Turbellaria |
| Order | Tricladida |
| Family | Planariidae |
| Genus | Phagocata |
| Species | Phagocata gracilis (Haldeman, 1840) |
Description
Diagnostic characters
- Ecological class
- Stygophile
- Realm
- Aquatic
Distribution
Range
Known from 22 counties across seven states.
Continent
North America
Country
United States
States and provinces
Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia
Counties
- Illinois
- Hardin, Jackson, Johnson, Monroe, Pope, St. Clair, Union
- Indiana
- Green, Lawrence, Monroe
- Kentucky
- Green, Jessamine, Pulaski, Rockcastle, Woodford
- Missouri
- Camden, Perry, Pulaski
- Ohio
- Adams
- Pennsylvania
- Centre, Mifflin
- Virginia
- Russell
Conservation and management
NatureServe
G5 Secure
National ranks
- United States
- NNR
Subnational ranks
- Indiana
- S5 Secure
- Virginia
- S5 Secure
Ranks looked up 2 July 2026. Conservation status changes, and a rank here is as current as that date and no more.
State and federal status
Not listed under the U.S. Endangered Species Act.
References
- Carpenter, J.H. 1970a. Systematics and ecology of cave planarians of the United States. University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA. 213 pp.
- Kenk, R. 1977a. Freshwater tricads (Turbellaria) of North America, IX: The genus Sphalloplana. Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology 246: 1–38. https://repository.si.edu/bitstreams/d38e70a7-fb46–474c-9ea0-f202898980ba/download. details
- Lewis, J.J. 2004. Interstate 66 karst faunal study. Environmental Impact Statement. 17 pp.
- Lewis, J.J. & Bowman, T.E. 1981. The subterranean asellids (Caecidotea) of Illinois (Crustacea: Isopoda: Asellidae). Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology 335: 1–66. doi:10.5479/si.00810282.335
- Lewis, J.J., Moss, P., Tecic, D. & Nelson, M.E. 2003. A conservation focused inventory of subterranean invertebrates of the southwestern Illinois karst. Journal of Cave and Karst Studies 65: 9–21.
- Peck, S.B. & Lewis, J.J. 1978. Zoogeography and evolution of the subterranean invertebrate faunas of Illinois and southeastern Missouri. National Speleological Society Bulletin 40: 39–63.
- Webb, D.W., Taylor, S.J. & Krejca, J.K. 1993. The biological resources of Illinois caves and other subterranean environments. Illinois Natural History Survey, Champaign, Illinois, USA. 143 pp.
This account was last revised 6 September 2026. Conservation ranks were looked up 2 July 2026.
How to cite this account
Phagocata gracilis (Haldeman, 1840). Cave Biology Data Portal, account SP-1901. https://cavebiology.org/species/phagocata-gracilis/ (accessed 22 October 2026).
Data sources and funding are listed in the Acknowledgments.
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