How is the regeneration of the planarian Crenobia alpina?
To study it we need a lab population. First, we need to find individuals.
Crenobia is widespread in Europe, but has picky requirements: it needs clean, cold and oxygenated freshwater. Easy to find if you live in the Pyrenees.
Problem: We live in Göttingen, at ~150 m elevation. Can we find it here? Possible. We will sample springs in the area.
Springs with cold water can be found at very low altitude. They are inhabited by Crenobia in central and northern Europe. Our spring sampling team: Wiktoria, Daniel, and Miquel. Leo appears in the next image.
Not without effort, we finally find this beautiful spring in the Göttingen Forest. A bit up the hill. It has enough cold, clean and oxygenated waters. Leo is impatient and ready to collect some planarians with the help of a brush.
The animals are quite abundant and tend to gather together in the undersurface of rocks. We collect some with the help of a brush. Its body is fragile although covered with protective mucus. Please, notice the distinctive horns in the head.
We are now cultivating the animals in the lab. We hope we can go back one day with news on how they regenerate. Probably very well.