Turbellarian taxonomic database

Acoela Childiidae Notes

Dorjes J 1968 (citation)- p 110 definition, list of genera, discussion p 110-111, key to genera p 79.
	Type genus CHildea.  p 101 says Otocelis species may go here eventually ?
	
	"Acoels with well developed copulatory organs.  Cone-shaped penis stylet always present.  This
	formed either from cuticularized or muscular elements, however never invaginated into the seminal
	vesicle.  The latter can be lacking.  Male reproductive pore variable in position.  Mouth
	opening ventral."
		Type genus Childea Graff 1911- 10 genera and 36 species.  Short discussion.
		
	Key:
		1. Seminal bursa lacking ----------------------------------------2
		1. Seminal bursa presnet ----------------------------------------5
		2. with 2 copulatory organs -------------------------------------Childea
		2. with 1 copulatory organ --------------------------------------3
		3. Colored. Male antrum lacking ---------------------------------Paraproporus
		3. Uncolored.  Male antrum present ------------------------------4
		4. Male antrum long, tube-shaped, ciliated.  Penis cuticularized
			by discharge of matrix cells --------------------------------Atriofronta
		4. Male antrum short.  Penis constructed of large, cuticularized
			stylet needles. ---------------------------------------------Actinoposthia
		5. Nozzle cuticularized -----------------------------------------6
		5. Bursa without a cuticularized nozzle--------------------------7
		6. Four (4) copulatory organs -----------------------------------Tetraposthia
		6. A single male copulatory organ -------------------------------Philactinoposthia
		7. Seminal bursa without an evident (light neuro?) ducctus
			spermaticus.  Outer muscle layers with outer circular and 
			inner longitudinal muscles ---------------------------------Pseudactinoposthia
		7. Seminal bursa with cellular or muscular spermatic duct.
		    Lacking this, then the outer muscle layer formed of outer
		    longitudinal and inner circular muscles----------------------8
		8. Outer muscle layer of outer longitudinal and inner
			circular muscles--------------------------------------------Paraphanostoma
		8. Outer muscle layer of outer circular and inner longitudinal
			muscles -----------------------------------------------------9	    		
		9. Ductus spermaticus muscular, invaginated into the bursa
			seminalis and divided caudally-------------------------------Pelophila
		9. Ductus spermaticus cellular, anterior directed-----------------Proactinoposthia
		
Karling TG 1974 (citation)- in list p 9.
Faubel A 1976 (citation)- lists p 42.
Ehlers U, Doerjes J 1979 (citation)- in discussion of Otocelidae genera p 48, 70.
Hooge MD 2001 (citation) - "Childia groenlandica posesses not only a unique pattern of musculature (Figs. 6,7) but the layering of these muscles is also unique among acoels in that the relative positions of the subepidermal body-wall muscle fibers are reversed, with longitudinal muscle fibers lying outside of inner circular fibers, a condition first recognized by Luther (1912) (citation). These features, along with its unusual paired male copulatory apparatus, suggests that the Childiidae as it is presently known is polyphyletic. Additional endorsement for polyphyly comes from preliminary ultrastructural and immunocytochemical studies that sugges the sclerotized copulatory structures used to unite the group are nonhomologous among several taxa (Raikova et al., 2001) (citation). I propose leaving Childia groenlandica as the sole occupant of Childiidae and creating a new family, Actinoposthiidae, for the other childiid taxa." Hooge MD, Haye P, Tyler S, Litvaitis MK, Kornfield I 2002 (citation)- Phylogenetic relationships using 18S rDNA, and morphological characters of sperm and body-wall musculature.- "The unique nature of C. groenlandica led Hooge 2001 (citation) to remove the other species in the Childiidae to a new family, the Actinoposthiidae. The gene tree supports this taxonomic revision; however, some further changes may be necessary, inasmuch as members of the actinoposthiid genus Paraphanostoma also have circular muscles (Westblad, 1942) (citation)."
Tekle YI, Raikova OI, Ahmadzadeh A, Jondelius U 2005 (citation) - Found the monophyly of Childia and Paraphanostoma to be supported by molecular and morphological data. Paraphanostoma synonymized with Childia; all former members of Paraphanostoma transferred to Childia.

Notes for the valid (accepted) taxonomic name

Notes for Aberrantospermata Mecynostomidae

Beneden E van 1870 (citation)-
Dorjes J 1968 (citation)- p 115 definition.  p 116 discussion and historical good summary.
	"Throughout elongated slim, colorless or pigmented forms with male genital pore lying subterminally
	at posterior end.  The copulatory organ circular to globe shaped in appearance.  The vesicle wall
	and the contour of the reproductive pore often appear as 2 concentric circles.  Copulatory organ
	is formed of a proximal sperm storing and a distal cellular part with the ? of a penis and a
	gland.  In a few species delicate cuticularized needles arrayed in a cone are present in the
	passatge.  Rhabdites lacking or very small and lying dispursed.  Body more or less dorso-ventrally
	flattened."[Bush translation]  Type Mecynostomum Van Beneden

		1. Mecynostomum van Beneden 1870
		2. Paedomecynostomum Dörjes, 1968 
        	3. Paramecynostomum Dörjes, 1968
        	4. Philomecynostomum Dörjes, 1968
        	5. Postmecynostomum Dörjes, 1968
        	6. Pseudomecynostomum Dörjes, 1968  refers to Pseudmecynostomum in rest of article.
    
 
 	p 117 key:
 	
 		1.  Seminal bursa lacking---------------------------------------------Mecynostomum
 		1.  Seminal bursa without cellular, muscular or
 			cuticular appendage----------------------------------------------2
 				
 			2.  Seminal bursa without cellular, muscular or cuticular
 				appendage---------------------------------------------------Pseudomecynostomum
 			2.  Appendage cellular, muscular or cuticular--------------------3
 			
 		3.  Appendage cellular-------------------------------------------------Postmecynostomum
 		3.  Appendage muscular-------------------------------------------------Paramecynostomum
 		3.  Appendage cuticular------------------------------------------------4
 		
 			4.  Appendage from matrix cells in ? basal section weakly 
 					cuticularized secretion is layered.  Bursal seminalis
 					well developed------------------------------------------Philomecynostomum
 			4.  Well developed nozzle present.  Seminal bursa indistinct or
 					parenchymatous------------------------------------------Paedomecynostomum
 					
 					
Karling TG 1974 (citation)- in list p 9.
Ehlers U, Doerjes J 1979 (citation)- list p 60.
Faubel A, Regier S 1983 (citation)- p 2 lists, and gives revision of genus p 11. Pseudmecynostomum.
	New genus Eumecynostomum.

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