Turbellarian taxonomic database
Kuma belca Notes
Marcus E 1952 (citation)- describes this species in detail, p 10-11, 102. Distinguishes from
brevicauda by intra-epithelial nuclei.
Dorjes J 1968 (citation)- lists.
Dorjes J, Karling TG 1975 (citation)- Swedish Museum of Natural History, Brazil. notes material
on slide is poor.
Marcus E 1952 (citation) pg. 102- "Kuma belca, n. sp. (Fig. 4-7), was found in middle coarse sand of the tidal
zone at Ubatuba. It differs from K. brevicauda Marcus (1950, p. 11)by intra-epithelial nuclei of the
epicytium (q), and has much more numerous cutaneous glands (h). A great part of these is epicytial. The
frontal (g) and caudal (m) ones are strongly developed; the latter probably furnish a secretion that
sticks the spermatozoa to the integument of the mate, the skin of which cannot be perforted by the small
and simple male organ (a, s). Perhaps the glands (r) to the sides of the oldest ovocytes produce a
mucous cover for the eggs. The brain (Fig. 6) has three swellings of neuropilema, but the nervous cells
are not distinctly concentrated. The mouth (b) is ample. The endocytium contains diatoms (i) and is limited
from the ectocytium by small vacuoles (u). Dorso-ventral muscles (k) separate the endocytium from the sides
of the body, where about 14 compact testes (t) lie on each side. These begin before the unpaired ventral
ovary (o) and represent the most conspicuous difference between K. belca and K. brevicauda, i which the
testes are diffuse and lie only behind the ovary."
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