Turbellarian taxonomic database

Phagocata gracilis Notes


Kenk R 1972 (citation)- p 43, "Eastern United States south of the Delaware River and west to Missouri."
Kenk R 1970 (citation)- p 7, 'Hyman (1937a and later papers) indicated the geographic range of Phagocata gracilis
as extending from Pennsylvania and Virginia westward to Missouri, while P. woodworthi occupies the New
England states, New York and New Jersey.  She considered the Delaware River to be the dividing line between
the two ranges.  Since Hyman's studies, few reliable identifications have been made by later investigators,
so that some records of 'Phagocata gracilis' may actually refer to P. woodworthi.  On the other hand, no
overlapping of the ranges of the two species has been demonstrated, and we may, for the present, assume that
the two species are allopatric.' 

 p 9, 'At first glance, the distribution of Phagocata gracilis appears to be rather uneven, the District of
Columbia and the state of Virginia showing a great preponderance in the number of habitats of the species. 
Actually, this uneveness reflects only a difference in the collecting activity in the distribution area.  The
species will, undoubtedly, be found in a number of additional states as well, such as in Maryland and in the
still little-explored southern states.'

Notes from synonyms

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