About Praestheceraeus bellostriatus (Hyman, 1953)
Praestheceraeus bellostriatus, formally classified by Hyman in 1953, is a polyclad cotylean flatworm. This species has a base body color that ranges from dark blue to black, with broad white or pale blue stripes running lengthwise along the top of its flat body. Like other flatworms in the order Polycladida, it has a remarkably flat, fragile, ovaloid body, plus two stout tentacles on its head. As a cotylean flatworm, it is brightly colored; unlike its tropical relatives, it lives in relatively cold water. It has an orange mid-dorsal stripe, and the outer edges of its body share this same bright orange hue. This flatworm reaches a maximum length of 1.5 inches (35 mm) and a maximum width of 1 inch (25 mm). Praestheceraeus bellostriatus is distributed in the eastern Pacific Ocean, ranging from Monterey Bay to Baja California Sur. It lives from the low intertidal zone down to shallow subtidal depths, in habitats including rocky tide pools and manmade wharf pilings.
