Population Growth in Planaria Dugesia tigrina (Gerard)

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Abstract
Planaria reproduce by transverse fission. Isolated worms increase in number exponentially, while social animals at the same density are inhibited in terms of numerical increase, but over a 25 day period undergo a larger increase in mass. Isolated posterior fission products reproduce faster than isolated anterior fission products. Regulation of population growth is independent of density over a 16-fold range and regulatory factors cannot be demonstrated in the medium. Regulation of population growth depends on direct contact between animals. Fission period varies from individual to individual and from period to period for a given individual. Doubling time is related to the absolute number of individuals comprising the population as follows: