Turbellarian taxonomic database

Daku woorimensis Diagnosis


Hooge MD 2003 (citation) - Mature specimens approximately 550 µm long and 200 µm wide (Figs. 6, 7A, B, 8A).  Body
cylindrical.  Anterior
and posterior ends rounded. 
Epidermis completely ciliated.  Rhabdoids present in distinct longitudinal rows (Fig. 7A, C).
	Musculature with circular muscles that encircle the body along entire length of animal; straight
longitudinal
muscles present between frontal organ and anterior edge of mouth; longitudinal-cross-over muscles (fibers
with
a longitudinal orientation anteriorly, but bend medially to cross diagonally) present in both dorsal and
ventral body wall (Fig. 8A)
	Frontal organ well developed.  Cell bodies of frontal glands positioned ~120 µm behind frontal pore (Fig.
6B).
	Mouth opening on ventral surface, posterior half of body.  Digestive central syncytium extends from frontal
glands posteriorly to level of seminal bursa (Figs, 6A, B).
	Ovary paired, ventral; extend from position behind statocyst posteriorly to seminal bursa (Fig. 6).
	Testes paired, dorsal; separate from ovary.  Testes extend posteriorly from level of frontal glands to male
copulatory organ (Fig. 6).  Spermatozoa with axonemes having  9 + 2 microtubule arrangement (A. Petrov,
personal communication).
	Female gonopore positioned anterior to male gonopore; opens to unciliated vagina (Fig. 6, 9).  Seminal
bursa
with wall, connected to curved, disjunct bursal nozzle composed of several (> 10) parts that each appear as
distinct but connected nozzles (Figs. 6C, 7D, 8C, D, 9). 	
Male gonopore ventral; appears to be facultative, since epithelium often covers opening (Figs. 6, 7F, 9). 
Gonopore leads to glandular penis surrounded by very muscular seminal vesicle (Figs. 6, 7E, F, 8A, B, C, 9).

Wall of seminal vesicle composed of highly-ordered longitudinal and circular muscles (Figs. 6C, 8B, C). 

[From Hooge MD (2003)]


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