Hyman LH 1931 (citation)- p 124, according to Girard 1893, p 173, "the worm was discovered by Leidy on August 3, 1877, in a spring near Fort Bridger, Wyoming. Leidy apparently forbore to name the species but seems to have furnished Girard with some notes concerning it for Girard quotes him as saying that numerous individuals were present, crawling about on the aquatic plants, or feeding with protruded pharynx. I am unable to find that Leidy ever published any statements about this species. The first published description is that of Girard 1891 in which he gave the name Phagocata coronata.
Hyman L 1931 (citation)- p 130, "The worms were found in flowing streams in the hills in the Black Hills of South Dakota. They were seen crawling actively about on the bottom among and on the stones and resting on the under surface of the stones."....."This species seems to be an unusually active one for planarians are ordinarily, during the daytime at least, concealed on vegetation or under stones, but these were crawling around in plain sight on the bottom of the stream. The streams in which the worms were found contained no vegetation." p 131, "Summary a. The North American representative of the many-eyed triclad genus Polycelis is distinct from European or other members of the genus. Its correct name is Polycelis coronata (Girard), 1891. b. Its distinctive characters are: eyes in a broad short band, several rows wide, extending only a short distance behind the auricles; bursa copulatrix saccular; penis bulb massive and muscular; penis small, unarmed; vasa deferentia entering the cavity of the penis bulb separately and asymmetrically, the left one anterior to the right one; common oviduct opening into the dorsal wall of the small common atrium; terminal part of the bursa stalk highly muscular. c. Distribution: mountain streams, in some cases spring-fed, Wyoming, South Dakota."
Notes from synonyms
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