Antonius A 1968 (citation)- complete description, illustrated. pp 330-342 from Red Sea. A parenchyma type
penis, p 371- no cilia. Description p 330:
External- 800-1000 micrometers- body much enrolled involving entire anterior end to male pore.
length 400-500 micrometers.
Tail at posterior end behind male pore- broadest at level of mouth.
Color- green from symbionts perenet in large numbers.
Dorsal side concretions show up in vertical illuminal as silver pinkish rhabdoids in
anterior end and around genital organs affect color- variable in shape- in lie deep around
genital organs close to penis and vagina- p 332- are congregations of granules sharply
defined as by a membrane. Do not go outside.
Eyes- near statocyst- hard to see- pigmented. 4 symmetrical
stripes- light colored on dorsal side. Also can see bursa and nozzle and vagina as a ring.
Epidermis- nuclei einsunk 4 micrometers round to oval- rather rare 3 micrometers width from outside
to in layer. Cilia 5-6 micrometers ventrally, 4-5 micrometers dorsally- cilia free
area ventrally from anterior 2-3 micrometers to bursa.
Rhabdoids- colored granules. etc above membrane only here?
flask shaped mucous glands- small group forms frontal organ with pore.
Nervous system- ring around statocyst- ventrally a nerve plate from anterior end of body to mouth.
Thick and at statocyst 15 micrometers, interpenetration of nerves and muscles
here on nerves and nerve plate. Detailed description here of nuclei all on proximal surface,
nerves in muscle and parenchyma layer of ventral nerve plate, nerve replaced epidermis
on ventral part of plate, frontal nerves (7 micrometers wide), dorsal nerves (15 micrometer),
lateral nerves smaller, ventral nerves- all homogenous ventral connective tissue here he
thinks is nervous in character. Otocyst 25 micrometer.
Musculature- normal outer muscle layer (circular and longitudinal)- around mouth a third layer
from edges to mouth serves to enroll the body.
Musculature around mouth- longitudinal body musculature forms sphincter.
Circular body musculature turns up and out around.
Parenchyma- relation with epidermis, difficulties in studying nuclei- all look alike, etc.
3-4 micrometer size. Symbiotic algae, food.
Gonads- Germinal zones mixed on each side of brain- caudally at edges oogonia spermatocysts and
sperm move along edges- enter seminal vesicles in paired openings at the side, eggs
on each side of central parenchyma- ripe eggs 80-90 micrometers.
Male copulatory organ 100-130 micrometers muscular bulb- whose greates part
equals seminal vesicle. Muscle fibers of vesicles wall- 3 groups/ go under ventral
part equals penis. Wall surrounding vesicle and penis 40 micrometers.
1. muscle fibers forming wall of penis but a single fiber forms the inner tube
of penis. Muscle but very stiff and is protruded without being turned inside out.
On protrusion muscles are stiff and open pore at end- at rest the muscles are
relaxed and close pore- gland cells inside seminal vesicle.
2. muscle fibers forming inner layer circular and then a felt around penis- half
way along.
3. muscle fibers of outer circular layer of penis and inner wall of vesicle.
Female copulatory organs, muscle capsule around vagina, bursa seminalis and matrix of
nozzle and anchored to ventral epidermis- layer with many nuclei accompanies it. Inner
end of vagina 100 micrometers long- sphincter at outer end of circular muscles in
vagina- etc. Sphincter at inner end also nozzle 40 micrometers long.
No stimulating organs or glands around male and female tract.
Diagnosis:
- Penis is stiff muscular tube joined to a muscular seminal vesicle.
- Vagina, bursa and nozzle surrounded by a thin, mutual muscle layer.
- Vagina long, very muscular with circular muscle fibers.
- Penis and vagina not ciliated and without stimulater organs.
- Gonads in common {together}, paired lying out.
- Brain with 2 lateral nervous plates joined by a commisure.
- Dorsal nerve plate above statocyst.
- Ventral nerve mass penetrates muscle layer and forms a ventro-frontal nerve plexus.
- Above lies in cilia free area between anterior end and vagina.
- A third muscle layer lies in above and these radiate out from mouth.
- Complicated apparatus around mouth with above muscle fibers.
- Parenchyma muscles through digestive parenchyma.
- Sides very enrolled.
- Rhabdoides with granules.
- Frontal organs small, round and with sharply defined opening ending anterior to statocyst.
- Muscous glands in dorsal epidermis.
- Epidermis sunken
- Pigment, eyes unclear
- Color from symbiotic algae and concretions silver.
Antonius A 1970 (citation)- frontal glands in - aid in capturing food.
Notes for the valid (accepted) taxonomic name
Notes for Convoluta boehmigi
Brauner K 1920 (citation)- describes new species p 35-37 illustrates copulatory organ Brauner K 1926 (citation)- taken on German deep sea expedition. 9 specimens taken. 8 from Harbor at Port Said on Mediterranean, 1 from Port Said Harbor. Characteristics include: - club-shaped pointed tail at posterior end. 232-290 micrometers across and 710-798 micrometers long. - epidermis but in figure 12 some are insunken- p 42 he says insunken, 9-13 micrometers deep or ventral to statocyst 3 micrometers deep. Cilia 6.5-7.5 micrometers. Cilia free on ventral side. Very little enrollment of sides. Glands homogenous, violet color, mostly dorsal and anterior. Frontal organ- many cells often close together but no common opening, no zoochlorella. - muscules - outer circ- inner longitudinal, sparse dorsal-ventral - parenchyma- outer and inner supporting parenchyma around reproductive organ. - brain and nerves - eyes can't find (in fixed animals will be lost). - statocyst 16 micrometers outer strong. membrane with 3 nuclei - cilia free area- thicker with heavier longitudinal muscles - from longitudinal stripes of circular muscles. Also thicker with heavier longitudinal muscles. not certain ? - is an adhesive organ. - gonopores seperate- female anterior and in middle of body, male at posterior end. - testes- follecular- paired at each side behind brain to about female pore. Strings (false seminal vesicles) on each side. Enter seminal vesicles separately, dorsally located. - penis- short, pear-shaped, veerticla, very muscular- base a well developed seminal vesicle- ductus ejactus narrows to open in this - wall heavy circular and longitudinal muscles- connective tissue, wall of vesicle continues aroound penis. muscular wall outside this. no adenodactyl. antrum lacking. - ovary - single area behind brain separates on two sides. - vagina well developed, no cilia- closed when there are sperm in bursa nozzle 25 micrometers long. no adenodactyl. Marcus E 1946 (citation)- discuss this in relationship to Macrostomida. Marcus E 1948 (citation)- compares this with his Convoluta vexillaria, p 116 (as Monocherus). Antonius A 1968 (citation)- lists this species and p 371 with parenchyma type penis without cilia. Dorjes J 1968 (citation)- lists. [Bush thinks that this could be Convoluta aegyptica Antonius 1968, 5/82]