Polycladida

Abstract: We describe Notocomplana hagiyai sp. nov. from Ishikari Bay, Hokkaido, northern Japan. Notocomplana hagiyai sp. nov. is characterized by i ) a larger prostatic vesicle relative to the seminal vesicle and ii ) a Lang’s duct that is shorter than the long axis of Lang’s vesicle. Melloplana japonica (Kato, 1937) is transferred to the genus Notocomplana Faubel, 1983 based on the structure of its prostatic vesicle, and we record the finding of N. koreana (Kato, 1937) and N. septentrionalis (Kato, 1937) in western Hokkaido. A pair of new cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) primers was designed to infer the phylogeny among the four species, and we concluded that COI is more informative than 16S rRNA for barcoding polyclad flatworms.

Abstract: Seven new records of cotylean flatworms belonging to two families and four genera were identified from Israel collected in the eastern Mediterranean Sea and the northern Red Sea. The family Pseudocerotidae was represented by three genera and six species (Pseudoceros duplicinctus, Pseudobiceros apricus, Pseudobiceros damawan, Pseudobiceros murinus, Pseudobiceros stellae, and Thysanozoon brocchii), followed by the Euryleptidae with a single species (Maritigrella fuscopunctata). Pseudoceros duplicinctus is recognized as a senior synonym of Pseudoceros prudhoei and color and pattern variations are reported for Maritigrella fuscopunctata. In addition, the presence of Pericelis byerleyana in the northern Gulf of Aqaba is confirmed, illustrated, and properly described with morphological and molecular data. Pseudoceros duplicinctus and Pseudobiceros stellae represent new geographic records for the Mediterranean Sea and Pseudobiceros apricus and Pseudobiceros damawan are new for the Red Sea. Detailed morphological analysis with emphasis on the color and pattern was applied for species identifications including high quality photographs of live and fixed animals. Partial sequences of the 28S ribosomal DNA (rDNA) of four of the species were obtained and deposited in GenBank with accession numbers provided with the corresponding species description. Our results represent a significant taxonomic contribution for the diversity and distribution of the Polycladida in Israel pointing out the importance for more integrative and comprehensive surveys in these two regions to advance the knowledge of marine biodiversity worldwide and along both Israeli coasts.

Abstract: Records of free-living flatworms (turbellarians) from Tunisian waters are scattered. Based on new material and published accounts, an annotated checklist of free-living flatworm species from Tunisian waters is provided. A total of 29 species is recorded, including 18 species with new material and 11 species only from literature records. For each species, information on systematics, habitats and distribution is supplied, together with taxonomic or biological remarks. Three species, the acotylean polyclads Cestoplana rubrocinta Lang, 1884 and Comoplana agilis (Lang, 1884) as well as the marine triclad Cercyra hastata Schmidt, 1861 are recorded for the first time in Tunisia. The controversial occurrence of the leptoplanid polyclad Leptoplana tremellaris in the Mediterranean is supported with histological sections and embryological data. The proseriate Monocelis fusca Orsted, 1843 previously reported from Tunisia is considered to be a misidentification. By presenting a checklist of the recorded species, this work summarizes our current knowledge of the turbellarian fauna diversity in Tunisia, providing baseline data for future biogeographical, ecological, behavioral and evolutionary investigations.

Abstract: The genus Pseudoceros is one of the flashiest among polyclads and is represented by 93 species worldwide while the genus Acanthozoon consists of polyclads with papillae and 14 valid species distributed around the world. Pseudoceros meenae sp. nov. and Acanthozoon fuscobulbosum sp. nov., based on morphological and histological characters have been described in the present paper. Pseudoceros meenae sp. nov. is characterised by white to cream body with three marginal bands; inner black, middle orange and a white rim while and Acanthozoon fuscobulbosum, sp. nov. is characterised by numerous brown and bulbous papillae of variable sizes on dorsum.