Turbellarian taxonomic database

Itaspis evelinae Notes

Marcus E 1952 (citation) pg. 112:  'A new Otoplanid, Itaspis evelinae, n. g., n. sp. (Fig. 114-125), was found in
the sand of the beach at Ubatuba (State of São Paulo).  It moves like Otoplana intermedia (Wilhelmi 1908). 
Two, sometimes three ovaries (o) lie on each side beside the pharynx (f).  The ovovitelloducts (w) have
anterior dilatations that function as seminal receptacles (r).  There the spermatozoa accumulate, although at
mating they are injected into the ventral region of the body, sometimes even into an ovary.
The surface of the epidermis (e) is roughish, but true cilia are only developed on the sole (u) that ends at
the root of the pharynx.  The epidermal nuclei are insunk (ea), except on an anterior concavity (ca), where a
retractor (mv) inserts.  There are 2 pairs of ciliated pits (ci), each with a papilla likening a half-way
invaginated finger of a glove.  The sensory cells (si) pierce the bottom of the invagination and unravel at
their ends.  Adhesive papillae (k) occur also on the back and frequently in groups of 10 together.  Two
optical cells (cs) without pigment lie within the capsule of the brain (c).  The nearly cylindrical pharynx
(f) is directed backward; the intestine (i) has a short, solid prolongation (ic) over the brain.
The gonopore (p) lies at the rear of the copulatory organs.  The whole bulk of them is projected into the
intestinal cavity.  It is surrounded by the intestine (i) from above, from the front, from below, and from one
side, and is connected with the body wall only by one broad strand, either to the right or to the left. 
Through this strand the common efferent duct (dc) enters the seminal vesicle (s), the common ovovitelloduct
(w) receiving shell glands (g) opens into the antrum (a), and the genito-intestinal duct (x) reaches the
posterior part of the intestine.  The three ducts lie always on the same side of one worm.  On each side there
are 24-30 testes (t).  The efferenct duct (d) divides before the pharynx.  The nucleated penis sheath (z)
produces about 40 cuticular spines (j), with two types of outward curved terminations (Fig. 123).  The penis
papilla (pi) without nuclei bears a stylet (zs) ending with 2 needles on the right and left side, that are
well qualified to perforate the epidermis of the mate for the hypodermic injection of the sperms.  Full-grown
ovocytes (oc) are inseminated in the ovary.  Once we found the two ovaries of one side developed as
ovariotestes with production of sperms in the ectal and that of eggs in the ental region.'

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