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
State and federal status
Not listed under the U.S. Endangered Species Act
References
- Carpenter, J.H. 1970. Systematics and ecology of cave planarians of the United States. University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA. 213 pp.
- Kenk, R. 1977. 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.
- 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.
- Lewis, J.J. 2004. Interstate 66 karst faunal study. Environmental Impact Statement. 17 pp.
- 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.
How to cite this account
Phagocata gracilis (Haldeman, 1840). Cave Biology Data Portal, account SP-1901. https://cavebiology.org/species/phagocata-gracilis/ (accessed 7 September 2026).
Data sources and funding are listed in the Acknowledgments.
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