Redescription and designation of a neotype of Temnocephala talicei Dioni, 1967 (Platyhelminthes: Temnocephalida).
Temnocephala talicei was described from Uruguayan material found mainly on Aegla prado. Its original description was based principally on its distinctive penial stylet, and, therefore, many aspects of the species anatomy that are now important in the taxonomy of the genus were not contemplated; type specimens were never designated; and the material used to describe the species has been lost. The present work provides a redescription of the species based upon material collected from the type host and in the type locality. Given the possibility of confusion in its identification, and in order to preserve its taxonomic stability, a neotype of T. talicei is designated. The closest species to T. talicei is Temnocephala mertoni, from which it can be separated by the presence of conspicuous intestinal septa, a markedly asymmetrical sphincter in the vagina, markedly lobed testes, a straight penial stylet with a non-sinuous distal portion of the shaft, a characteristic large, 'mouthpiece'-shaped introvert without discrete thickenings, and approximately 10 crowns of well-developed spines of decreasing length placed throughout the whole extension of the introvert. A comparison of material from Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay shows that there is little variation in the morphometry of the species. Finally, a comparison of the post-tentacular syncytia of T. talicei and T. mertoni shows that this is not always a species-specific character.
Sección Zoología de Invertebrados, Facultad de Ciencias (Piso 8 Sur), Igua 4225, Montevideo 11400, Uruguay. odile@fcien.edu.uy
Odile
O
Volonterio
D000818:Animals; D033381:Anomura / Q000469:parasitology*; D014419:Turbellaria / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000145:classification* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014583:Uruguay