title: The taxonomic status of Dugesiabiblica from Israel and Turkey (Platyhelminthes, Tricladida, Dugesiidae).
abstract: The taxonomic status of Dugesiabiblica (Platyhelminthes, Tricladida, Dugesiidae) from Israel and Turkey is problematic due to its morphological similarity with Dugesiasicula since these nominal species present overlapping characters. In this study we analyzed histological preparations of specimens of these two nominal species and also compared mitochondrial COI gene sequences from Israeli populations to the already known haplotype composition of Dugesiasicula. We concluded that these animals belong to the same species and therefore we consider Dugesiabiblica to be a junior synonym of Dugesiasicula. This implies that the distribution range of Dugesiasicula is even wider than previously thought, and that the species is present all around the Mediterranean Basin and on many of its islands.
authors.affiliation: Departament de Genètica, Facultat de Biologia and Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat (IRBio), Universitat de Barcelona, Av. Diagonal 643, 08028, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Eduard
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Solà
authors.affiliation: Naturalis Biodiversity Center, P.O. Box 9517, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Ronald
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sluys
authors.affiliation: Department of Evolutionary & Environmental Biology and Institute of Evolution, Faculty of Sciences, University of Haifa, 3498838, Haifa, Israel.
authors.forename: Ori
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Segev
authors.affiliation: Department of Evolutionary & Environmental Biology and Institute of Evolution, Faculty of Sciences, University of Haifa, 3498838, Haifa, Israel.
authors.forename: Leon
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Blaustein
authors.affiliation: Departament de Genètica, Facultat de Biologia and Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat (IRBio), Universitat de Barcelona, Av. Diagonal 643, 08028, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Riutort
keywords: COI; Dugesia; Israel; Platyhelminthes; Tricladida; Turkey; biogeography; haplotype; karyology; morphology; synonymy; taxonomy