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Specimen
068
Gastrotrichs are often called hairy backs. They have a transparent body and a flat underside, with many species having a pair of short projections at the rear end. The two end projections have cement glands- this is a double-gland system where one gland secretes the glue and another secretes a de-adhesive. The adhesive glands allow them to anchor themselves to the substrate. The body is covered with hairy cilia, especially about the mouth and on the lower surface, and these help them move around. Gastrotrichs have a simple body plan with a head region, with a brain and sensory organs, and a trunk with a simple gut and the reproductive organs. |