Turbellarian taxonomic database
Hofstenia beltagii Notes
Steinbock O 1966 (citation)- ext view illustration p 64, from Red Sea, also p 63. Notes it was
described as H. atrioviridis by Beltagi in his dissertation Zoologische Institute in Wien. He has
seen preparation and designates it as new species H. beltalgi.
Dorjes J 1968 (citation)- lists p 104.
Steinbock (1966) (citation) mentions of H. beltagii:
p 63
in Beltagi's 1958 dissertation on turbellarians of Red Sea as H. atroviridis
description there and sections Riedl sent to Steinbock make him think is new species
[Steinbock mentions 2 sets of sections on p. 90]
p 67
mottled brown color
p 73
NS not clear in poorly fixed specimens
but plexus discerned in posterior end
p 76
brain is small pile of ganglion cells with neuropile surrounding statocyst [like atroviridis, miamia]
subterminal mouth (like H. atroviridis, H. miamia)
p 77
pharynx is 1/3 length of body (like H. atroviridis, H. miamia)
p 81
pharynx inner longi and outer circular muscles
(as in H atroviridis, H miamia; reverse in Marcusiola and Hofsteniola)
p 83
gut lumen? impossible to tell from Beltagi's sections, could be tear
p 85
testes diffuse to follicular (like H. miamia)
p 89
Beltagi describes male system as lacking seminal vesicle;
Steinbock says not so, that thin-walled vesicle present
sylets form a very short tube as they diverge distally, deep in bulb musculature
p 90
musculature of penis bulb and v. granulorm stronger dorsally than ventral
penis pocket present
proximal portion of male genital canal is widened as antrum,
opening almost perpendicular to ventral body wall
(Steinbock says, though, that he dares not risk a reconstruction of the [2] preparations)
p 116-117
systematic position w/ other Hofstenia spp (H. atroviridis, H. giselae, H. miamia)
NS w/ plexus
p 124
male genital canal: proximal part almost ball-shaped with short, steep opening
ovaries paired, ventral, between midline and lateral margins, reaching from pharynx to tail tip
(as in other Hofstenia spp)
p 127
agreement of pharynx structure with other Hofstenia spp.
couldn't find diagonal muscles, but not important
p 137 -- in key to genera Hofsteniidae + species of Hofstenia:
male genital canal (antrum masculinum of Steinbock) essentially longer than penis pocket;
large, 5-9 mm long
beginning of male genital canal widened into ball shape; end part perpendicular to ventral body wall
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