Hooge MD & Tyler S 2003 (citation) - The filamentous, brush-like penis needles of Stylomecynostomum bodegensis are distinctly different from the conically-shaped sclerotized needles found in species of the mecynostomid genera Paedomecynostomum Dörjes, 1968, and Pseudmecynostomum Dörjes, 1968. Our species appears to be most similar to Eumecynostomum altitudi Faubel and Regier, 1983, and E. westbladi (Dörjes, 1968), both of which are considerably larger than our species (~1 mm long), but which have similarly constructed copulatory organs except for their lack of sclerotized penis needles. In line with generic distinctions for mecynostomids, the needle-bearing copulatory organ warrants erection of the new genus, Stylomecynostomum. The seminal bursa of this species is similar to the globular bursa of E. altitudi, which also has a bursa wall composed of diffuse tissue. The bursal wall of E. westbladi is composed of gland cells, a condition reminiscent of the prominent gland cells surrounding the female gonopore of our species.
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