Taxonomic and biological observations on the tiger flatworm,Maritigrella crozieri (Hyman, 1939), new combination (Platyhelminthes,Polycladida, Euryleptidae) from Florida waters

The tiger flatworm, Maritigrella crozieri (Hyman, 1939) (Platyhelminthes, Polycladida, Cotylea) new combination, is redescribed from eastern Florida and the Florida Keys. This marine flatworm is one of the most common polyclads within warm temperate to tropical west Atlantic, yet it has been misidentified consistently as a pseudocerotid. Animals were kept alive in the laboratory for 3 weeks for biological observations. Findings indicated that these euryleptids employ hypodermic insemination, with multiple copulations occurring over several days. Sperm was transferred in sperm bundles bilaterally with little apparent damage to the epidermis of the copulating worms. Copulation sessions were variable and lasted an average of 15.4 min. In situ and laboratory observations indicated that M. crozieri fed exclusively on the mangrove ascidian Ecteinascidia turbinata Herdman, 1880, an individual consuming one prey zooid in an average of 17 min and an average of 19 zooids over 24h.     

A new predatory flatworm (Platyhelminthes,Polycladida) from Botany Bay,New South Wales,Australia

A new species of Stylochidae flatworm Imogine lateotentare is described from Botany Bay, eastern New South Wales, Australia. This flatworm is distinguished from other species in the same genus mainly by having small, transparent and inconspicuous tentacles, densely packed purplish pink flecks at the posterior of the dorsal surface, distinctive purplish red colour gonopores and continuous bands of numerous frontal and cerebral eyes. Feeding and reproductive behaviour in the laboratory are described. This flatworm was found closely associated with the barnacle Balanus variegatus (Darwin, 1854) on which it fed by extending its pharynx over the barnacle opercular and sucking out the flesh but ejecting the cirri. It consumed one Balanus variegatus in a 14‐day observation period and it was observed feeding exclusively at night.     

Two new Pleioplana species (Platyhelminthes,Polycladida, Acotylea) from Turkey

Two new species of flatworms, Pleioplana bosphorensis sp. nov. and Pleioplana Okusi sp. nov., Acotylea, Polycladida, are described from the shallow rocky shores of the Turkish Straits System, northwestern Turkey. Both species are characterized by a prostatic vesicle of atomata-type, stylet and Lang's vesicle. Pleioplana bosphorensis possesses a body of fleshy consistency and without tentacles, with spermiducal bulbs; elongated seminal vesicle and rounded prostatic vesicle with four tubular chambers and a conical, strong, large and straight stylet. Pleioplana Okusi has a translucent body, tentacular knobs, large seminal vesicle, elongated prostatic vesicle with six tubular chambers, and a long slender slightly curved stylet.     

A new stylochid flatworm (Platyhelminthes,Polycladida) from Victoria,Australia and observations on its biology

There are only four polyclad flatworms currently known from temperate waters of Victoria, Australia, although these turbellarians are common inhabitants of rocky shores. A new stylochid flatworm, Stylochus pygmaeus sp. nov. (Platyhelminthes, Polycladida) or oyster leech is described here from Port Philip Bay, Victoria. This flatworm was observed feeding on three species of barnacles by extending its pharynx over its prey and extruding copious amounts of mucus. Worms also preferred to prey on larger‐sized barnacles regardless of the species. Further observations indicated that these worms deposited eggs at night inside empty barnacle shells. Each eggmass was brooded for several days with the worms only moving off to feed. Each egg capsule contained multiple embryos and after 5 or 6 days, positively photo‐tactic, four‐lobed Götte's larvae emerged. Larvae metamorphosed to juvenile flatworms 1–2 weeks post‐hatching but failed to settle and survive.     

New genera of pseudocerotid flatworms (Platyhelminthes; Polycladida) from Australian and Papua New Guinean coral reefs

Two new genera, Maiazoon nov. gen. and Phrikoceros nov. gen. are described respectively from Madang, eastern Papua New Guinea and the Great Barrier Reef, Australia. The monotypic genus Maiazoon resembles Nymphozoon Hyman, 1959 since it possesses multiple male reproductive systems and multiple female pores although the latter genus lacks a penial stylet and sucker. Phrikoceros, with five new species, morphologically resembles Pseudobiceros although it possesses only one male reproductive system as found in Pseudoceros.     

Five new Polycladida (Platyhelminthes: Acotylea) species from the Aegean Sea with remarks on the prostatic structures

Five species of polyclads, Imogine melihertani sp. nov., Pseudoplanocera izmirensis gen. et sp. nov., Izmira cinari gen. et sp. nov., Izmira turkeyi sp. nov. and Pseudodiscocelis aegeanensis gen. et. sp. nov., were collected in Izmir Bay, Turkey, Aegean Sea. I. melihertani is characterized by an anchor-shaped seminal vesicle, penis papilla, and ciliated male and female atria. P. izmirensis possesses spermiducal bulbs, a free prostatic vesicle, cirrus bulb, armed cirrus and Lang's vesicle. The genus Izmira is established based on the presence of a penis rod, true seminal vesicle, an interpolated prostatic vesicle of atomata-type and vagina bulbosa. Izmira cinari has an elongated body; a pointed penis and the oviducts enter the vagina bulbosa separately. Izmira turkeyi is characterized by an oval body, rod-shaped penis and the oviducts join before entering the vagina. Pseudodiscocelis is characterized by prostatoid organs, a lobed penis and ciliated and glandular cells in the male antrum.     

A new genus of viviparous gyrodactylid (Monogenea) from the Great Barrier Reef,Australia with descriptions of seven new species

Acanthoplacatus gen. nov., a new genus of viviparous gyrodactylid, is described from the fins and skin of siganid fishes from the Great Barrier Reef, Australia. The genus is characterized by a muscular, tube-like haptor with 16 marginal hooks on the posterior margin. The ventral lobe of the haptor is located anteriorly relative to the dorsal lobe and contains a pair of hamuli and a ventral bar with posteriorly-projecting ventral bar membrane. A dorsal bar is absent. Five pairs of posterior gland cells surround the posterior terminations of the gut. The male copulatory organ is a muscular, non-eversible bulb with several spines around the distal opening. Species of Acanthoplacatus have a bilateral excretory system consisting of six pairs of flame cells and a pair of excretory bladders. Seven new species are described: Acanthoplacatus adlardi sp. nov. and A. amplihamus sp. nov. from Siganus punctatus (Forster, 1801), A. brauni sp. nov. from S. corallinus (Valenciennes, 1835), A. parvihamus sp. nov. from S. vulpinus (Schlegel and Mueller, 1845), A. puelli sp. nov. from S. puellus Schlegel, 1852, A. shieldsi sp. nov. from S. lineatus (Valenciennes, 1835) and A. sigani sp. nov. from S. fuscescens (Houttuyn, 1782). Species can be discriminated by shape and size of the hamuli, marginal hooks and ventral bar and by male copulatory organ sclerite morphology. Three species (A. brauni sp. nov., A. shieldsi sp. nov. and A. sigani sp. nov.) were assessed for seasonal variation of sclerite size. Ten of thirteen morphological characters showed seasonal variation in size for at least one of the species. The characters were longer in winter except dorsal root tissue cap width. Only one character, marginal hook length, showed significant seasonal variation for all three species. Species of Acanthoplacatus were observed to attach using only the marginal hooks and the role of hamuli in attachment is unclear. The dorsal fin of the host is the preferred site for most species but the anal fin, caudal fin and body surfaces are preferred by some species. Prevalences for species range from 57 to 100%.     

The genus Nematoplana Meixner, 1938 (Platyhelminthes: Unguiphora) in eastern Australia

Six new species of Nematoplana are described from eastern Australia. They are distinguished on the basis of the morphology of sclerotized structures, chromosome number and morphology, and pigmentation. Six further unguiphorid species were only found immature, and cannot be formally described. They none the less have distinct morphological and/or karyological features. The Unguiphora as a whole, and the genus Nematoplana in particular, are species-rich in eastern Australia. The high diversity of the group appears due both to narrow-range endemics, and to the narrow ecological niche of many of the species.     

A new terrestrial planarian species of the genus Marionfyfea (Platyhelminthes: Tricladida) found in Europe

Small (c. 1 cm long) terrestrial planarians found in the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and France are described as a new species, Marionfyfea adventor sp. nov. Individuals of the new species have a patchy brown external appearance with small, seemingly random pale blue-ish patches. They have multiple eyes, uniserial around the anterior end, biserial or triserial laterally for a short distance then sparsely uniserial and lateral to the posterior end. The anatomy is characterized by five or six pairs of ventral testes and a single pair of ovaries adjacent to the pharyngeal pouch. The base of each ovary is surrounded by parovarian cells. The penis is of the inverted type with a basal hemispherical seminal vesicle. Two adenodactyls, one ventral, one dorsal, are present in the common antrum. The only other known species of Marionfyfea is recorded only from the Auckland Islands, New Zealand and we assume that the new species has been introduced to Europe.

http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:7AC3D565-0BEB-4B67-8BEC-11A13A70D663     

New species and records of earthworms from Jamaica with notes on the genus Eutrigaster Cognetti, 1904 (Octochaetidae: Oligochaeta)

Details are presented of earthworm collections from Jamaica. Eleven species are reported, eight being new records of which two are new species, to bring the total number of species known from the island to 16 and the number of families represented to six. The geographical affinities of each species and its faunal status are summarized. The new species are members of the genus Eutrigaster Cognetti (Octochaetidae) whose validity is reviewed; a table is provided for the identification of the 11 Central American and Caribbean species currently included in the genus.     

Two new marine species from South Korea with remarks on the family Stylochidae (Acotylea,Polycladida, Plathelminthes)

Two new species of acotylean Polycladida are described from Korea, Munseoma maculata gen. et sp. nov., Callioplanidae, and Crytostylochus koreensis sp. nov., Stylochidae. Munseoma maculata is characterized by a small free prostatic vesicle but only indistinctly cut off from the ejaculatory duct; a Lang's vesicle is present. Crytostylochus koreensis possesses a prostatic vesicle with tubular lining of radial arrangement. Each papillate tube is connected via a glandular duct to a single extra‐vesicular gland attached to the muscular wall of the prostatic vesicle. That morphological feature forces discussion of the relationships within the family Stylochidae. Consequently, type material of other stylochids deposited in the museums of Hamburg, Vienna, and Stockholm was borrowed to investigate the genital organs and, in particular, the interior lining of the prostatic vesicle. Based on these analyses, two new types of prostatic lining are defined, the polyglandular type and the monoglandular type. The monoglandular type is defined as having an oval to elongate prostatic vesicle with tubular lining and extra‐vesicular glands. Each extra‐vesicular gland is connected via a glandular duct with a single tube. The polyglandular type is defined as having a mostly roundish oval prostatic vesicle with long‐fingered extensions, more or less horizontally directed distad, and numerous extra‐vesicular glands. Each long‐fingered extension is connected via several glandular ducts of extra‐vesicular glands. Based on these new characters, the family Stylochidae is newly defined.     

A new higher classification of planarian flatworms (Platyhelminthes,Tricladida)

This paper presents a revised classification for the higher taxa within the Tricladida. A historical sketch is provided of the higher classificatory systems of triclad flatworms. As far as possible, the new classification is based on published phylogenetic studies. A phylogenetic tree generalizing currently available hypotheses on the higher-taxon relationships of the Tricladida forms the backbone of the new classification. There is no longer any room in formal classifications for the taxon names Terricola and Paludicola, previously used to indicate the suborders of freshwater and land planarians, respectively. It is a consequence of the new classification that the taxonomic rank of the terrestrial planarians is now at the level of family. A new diagnosis of this family is provided. The taxon name Continenticola denotes a monophyletic group consisting of the freshwater planarians and the terrestrial planarians. At this stage it is difficult to find unequivocal morphological apomorphies enabling a diagnosis for the Continenticola.     

A new genus and subfamily of Typhloplanidae (Platyhelminthes,Rhabdocoela) from Australia with a cladistic analysis of subfamily relationships

During a survey of marine interstitial Platyhelminthes of North Stradbroke Island, Queensland, Australia, a new taxon of Typhloplanidae (Rhabdocoela) was found, namely Cephalopharynx cannoni gen. nov. sp. nov. This new monotypic genus combines a suite of characters that set it apart from the remaining 63 genera present in the known eight subfamilies. It is unique in the lack of adenal and dermal rhabdites, the anterior position of the pharynx rosulatus, presence of a single anterior testis, and novel stylet structure. These character states substantiate the erection of a new subfamily, Cephalopharynginae, based on cladistic criteria. A key to the subfamilies of Typhloplanidae is provided.     

Reflections on the genus Amaga Ogren and Kawakatsu 1990, and description of a new genus of land planarian (Platyhelminthes: Tricladida: Geoplanidae)

Amaga amagensis, the type species of the genus Amaga, and Amaga bogotensis are re-described. Detailed analysis of the morphology of A. amagensis revealed important taxonomic features, such as testes located dorsally to the supraintestinal parenchymal muscular layer, and secretory accumulations opening through the lateral margins of the body. These characters, as well as other morphological features, are discussed, culminating in an emendation of the generic diagnosis of Amaga. Amaga bogotensis exhibits a characteristic set of morphological features, namely an eversible penis, a male atrium lined with large musculosecretory papillae, and independent muscular coats around both male and female atrium. Therefore, a new genus is proposed for this species.     

Five new species of Monocelis Ehrenberg, 1831 (Platyhelminthes: Proseriata) from eastern Australia

Six species of the genus Monocelis Ehrenberg, 1831 have been found in eastern Australia. All are new to science. Five of them are formally described here. Three species (M. rupisrubrae sp. nov., M. nexilis sp. nov., and M. corallicola sp. nov.) have two clearly set pigmented eyespots lateral to the statocyst. They differ in details of the copulatory organ and karyotype. No clear synapomorphies among them or with other species of the genus could be detected. Monocelis beata sp. nov. and M. macrobulbus sp. nov. present extremely elongate, longitudinally oriented copulatory organs. They are sister species, and phylogenetic relationships with M. galapagoensis Ax and Ax, 1977 and M. hopkinsi Karling, 1966 are proposed. Australian Monocelis have distributions limited to recognized biogeographical provinces in eastern Australia: M. corallicola, M. beata and M. macrobulbus in the northern Australian Zone, M. rupisrubrae and M. nexilis in the ‘Overlap Zone’ of the central east coast and Monocelis sp. A in the southern Australian Region.     

A new genus and six new species of the Parabathynellidae (Bathynellacea,Syncarida) from the Kimberley region,Western Australia

Six new species of a new genus of the Parabathynellidae are described from the Kimberley Region, Western Australia. The erection of the new genus, Kimberleybathynella gen. nov., is based on the two‐segmented antenna, the partial fusion of the second and third segments of the maxilla, and the setal condition of the uropodal exopodite, where the outer seta is longer than the inner one. The one‐segmented exopodite of thoracopods I–VII and hemispherical form of male thoracopod VIII suggest the close relationship of Kimberleybathynella to the genus Atopobathynella.     

A redescription of the type specimen of Crotonia (= Acronothrus) obtecta (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1875), (Acari,Cryptostigmata) and a discussion of its taxonomic relationships

Summary

The holotype of Crotonia (= Westwoodia) obtecta (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1875) has been cleaned and is redescribed. Study indicates that Crotonia Thorell, 1876 is a senior synonym of Acronothrus Berlese, 1916, and that the family Crotoniidae Thorell, 1876 is a senior synonym of the Holonothridae Wallwork, 1963