Turbellarian taxonomic database

Abstract / Notes

In this contribution we report on 13 species of Rhabdocoela, found during a marine inventory of Skagerrak by
the Swedish Taxonomy Initiative. Four new species are described, two of which are Kalyptorhynchia
(Gnathorhychidae and Polycystididae) and two belong to Dalytyphloplanoida (Solenopharyngidae).
Uncinorhynchus vorago sp. nov., (Gnathorhynchidae) has a triangular stylet consisting of a double-folded
plate, which proximally forms a tube, but without a distal, needle-shaped tip. Austrorhynchus artoisi sp.
nov. (Polycystididae), has two prostate stylets. Prostate stylet type II consists of a distal tube and a
short proximal funnel, which has a stirrup-shaped ornament, whereas the stylet type III shows an
unpronounced foot and style connected to each other by a narrow clasp and a comb-bearing plate.  The foot
and plate are connected to a thread-like flagellum. Lenopharynx bathos sp. nov. (Solenopharyngidae)
resembles Lenopharynx tubatus Schockaert & Martens, 1985, but differs in the detailed structure of the
stylet and by the lack of colouration and eyes. Proceropharynx profundum sp. nov. has a unique combination
of small spines and hard ridges on the cirrus. Additional data are given for the remaining nine species,
three of which are new for the Swedish fauna. Espegrendia norvegica Westblad, 1954 (Solenopharyngidae) is
redescribed.  For the sake of completeness, two more species are mentioned. One is identified as a new
species of Acrumena Brunet, but lack of material prevents its formal description.  The second one is
probably a representative of the taxon Ceratopera Den Hartog, but cannot be identified with certainty
because of the poor quality of the preserved material. This contribution is one of very few reports on
Rhabdocoela collected from a depth exceeding 100 m and some preliminary biogeographical remarks are therefore
given.

Return to taxon listing