Five new Polycladida (Platyhelminthes: Acotylea) species from the Aegean Sea with remarks on the prostatic structures

Abstract

Five species of polyclads, Imogine melihertani sp. nov., Pseudoplanocera izmirensis gen. et sp. nov., Izmira cinari gen. et sp. nov., Izmira turkeyi sp. nov. and Pseudodiscocelis aegeanensis gen. et. sp. nov., were collected in Izmir Bay, Turkey, Aegean Sea. I. melihertani is characterized by an anchor-shaped seminal vesicle, penis papilla, and ciliated male and female atria. P. izmirensis possesses spermiducal bulbs, a free prostatic vesicle, cirrus bulb, armed cirrus and Lang's vesicle. The genus Izmira is established based on the presence of a penis rod, true seminal vesicle, an interpolated prostatic vesicle of atomata-type and vagina bulbosa. Izmira cinari has an elongated body; a pointed penis and the oviducts enter the vagina bulbosa separately. Izmira turkeyi is characterized by an oval body, rod-shaped penis and the oviducts join before entering the vagina. Pseudodiscocelis is characterized by prostatoid organs, a lobed penis and ciliated and glandular cells in the male antrum.

Keywords:

• Platyhelminthes
• Polycladida
• Aegean Sea
• Turkey
• taxonomy
• prostatoid organ

Acknowledgements

I am indebted to Dr Faubel Institut für Hydrobiologie und Fischereiwissenschaft, Univesität Hamburg, for his permanent guidance and to Dr Cazzaniga, Zoología de Invertebrados I, Universidad Nacional del Sur, Argentina, for providing his laboratory and required equipment.

I also thank Dr Çinar, Ege University, Faculty of Fisheries, Department of Hydrobiology, Bornova, Izmir, Turkey, for collecting the benthic material.

This work was supported by the projects: Estudios sobre biodiversidad, control de poblaciones y conservación (Project No. 24/B088), Universidad Nacional del Sur and the Scientific Research Projetct of Ege University (Project No. 03 SÜF 005).

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