Riedl RJ 1959 (citation)- p 199 diagnosis "Catenulida (sensu Marcus 1944, p 6) with a preoral, compact, egg shaped brain, with paired, clearly delineated anterior, ventral and posterior lobes. Excretory organs lacking. Gonads joined into a common gland, with a large preoral sperm pit, which opens dorso-rostrally and is elongated caudal under the brain." Tyrrheniella sigillata only species, type. [Bush also notes]: Gut- primitive for Catenulida- more like Rhynchoscolex or Acoela, etc. and preoral gut sac. Pharynx- large, glandular, ? from pharynx simplex to pharynx variables (not plicatus). Brain- p 193-4 large in, sense organs as in Catenulids, paired pigmented eyes, cup organ. Cup organ lying next to ventral lobes, sensory plates (2-4) secretory? and statocyst. sense organ like some of Catenulida- brain makes it near Stenostomidae. Zwitherdrize- combined gland for both eggs and sperm [male female hermaphroditic keinlay?]- eggs in narrow dorsal parts, sperm in ventral part- this is very primitive for Catenulida. Sulcus terminalis- what is it? excretory, ciliated pit, seminal vesicle? refers to Marcus 1945. decides it functions as sperm duct, false seminal vesicle and seminal vesicle?? - a preoral sperm pit. Young JO 1978 (citation)- notes Tyrrheniella sigillata is marine, p 189.
Return to Catenulida Tyrrheniellidae