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Type: Article
Published: 2017-09-25
Page range: 547–560
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A new species of stygobiont freshwater planarian (Platyhelminthes, Tricladida) from a chemoautotrophic ecosystem: the Frasassi karst in Italy

Department of Sciences for Nature and Environmental Resources, University of Sassari, Via Muroni 25, I-07100, Sassari, Italy
Naturalis Biodiversity Center, P.O. Box 9517, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands
Osservatorio Geologico di Coldigioco, Cda. Coldigioco 4, 62021 Apiro, Italy
Department of Sciences for Nature and Environmental Resources, University of Sassari, Via Muroni 25, I-07100, Sassari, Italy
Platyhelminthes Dendrocoelum morphology stygofauna caves hypogenic system sulfidic habitat Palaearctic Region

Abstract

In this paper we report a new species of Dendrocoelum from the chemoautotrophic ecosystem of the Frasassi hypogenic cave complex in the northeastern Apennines of Italy. Dendrocoelum leporii Stocchino & Sluys, sp. nov. is characterized by the presence of a muscular atrial valve, which is unique within the genus. Moreover, the new species is characterized also by a penis papilla with a pseudoflagellum, numerous testes situated in the ventral, dorsal and median body regions with the follicles extending to the far posterior end of the body, and a large adenodactyl with the so-called Balkan type of musculature. The new species represents the twelfth dendrocoelid species recorded for Italy. A summary is provided of the species of the family Dendrocoelidae Hallez, 1892 thus far reported for the mainland and the isles of Italy.

 

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