Turbellarian taxonomic database

Stylomecynostomum bodegensis Diagnosis


Hooge MD & Tyler S 2003 (citation) - Mature specimens approximately 400 µm long and 130 µm wide (Figs. 5B, 5C).

Anterior and posterior ends rounded.
	Epidermis completely ciliated.  Rhabdoids absent.  Mucoid glands scattered across dorsal and ventral sides.
	Musculature with circular fibers that encircle the body along entire length of animal; straight
longitudinal
muscles absent between frontal organ and anterior edge of mouth; longitudinal muscles with a longitudinal
orientation anteriorly that bend medially to cross diagonally over the body (longitudinal-cross-over
fibers),
present in both dorsal and ventral body wall; anterior end with ventral diagonal muscles positioned between
outer circular and inner longitudinal muscles (data not shown).
	Frontal organ well developed; cell bodies of frontal glands positioned ~90 µm behind frontal pore (Fig.
5C).

	Mouth opening on ventral surface, middle of body.  Digestive central syncytium extends from frontal glands
posteriorly to level of male copulatory apparatus.
	Ovaries paired, ventral, extend from level of mouth posteriorly to seminal bursa (Fig. 5B, C).
	Testes paired, dorsal, separate from eggs.  Testes extend anteriorly to frontal glands and posteriorly to
level of male copulatory organ (Fig. 5C).
	Female gonopore surrounded by large gland cells and opens directly to thick-walled bursa (Fig. 5D). 
Examined
specimens did not have sperm in the bursa, and as such, no lumen could be discerned (Fig. 6A).
	Male gonopore located ventrally at posterior end of body (Figs. 5, 6B).  Copulatory organ globular,
glandular.  Nuclei present along outside edge of copulatory organ.  Filamentous penis needles present at
proximal end of male duct.

[From Hooge MD, Tyler S (2003)]


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