Abstract
Three new species of Gnosonesima from the eastern coast of Florida, United States, are described herein. This discovery provides new insights into one of the least-studied genus of Platyhelminthes Rhabditophora, which until now comprised only six known species. The new taxa, G. laumeri sp. nov., G. smithi sp. nov., and G. spinifera sp. nov., are primarily distinguished by the sclerotised armature of the male copulatory organ. Additional traits, including the presence or absence of eyes and pigmentation, and the structure of the female system further support their delimitation.
References
- Diez, Y.L., Sanjuan, C., Bosch, C., Catalá, A., Monnens, M., Curini-Galletti, M. & Artois, T. (2023) Diversity of free-living flatworms (Platyhelminthes) in Cuba. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 140 (3), 423–433. https://doi.org/10.1093/biolinnean/blad041
- Egger, B., Lapraz, F., Tomiczek, B., Müller, S., Dessimoz, C., Girstmair, J., Skunca, N., Rawlinson, K.A., Cameron, C.B., Beli, E., Todaro, M.A., Gammoudi, M., Noreña, C. & Telford, M.J. (2015) A transcriptomic-phylogenomic analysis of the evolutionary relationships of flatworms. Current Biology, 25 (10), 1347–1353. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2015.03.034
- Ehlers, U. (1985) Das Phylogenetische System der Plathelminthes. Gustav Fischer, Stuttgart & New York, 317 pp.
- Karling, T.G. (1968) On the genus Gnosonesima Reisinger (Turbellaria). Sarsia, 33, 81–108. https://doi.org/10.1080/00364827.1968.10411133
- Karling, T.G. (1974) On the anatomy and affinities of the turbellarian orders. In: Riser, N.W. & Morse, M.P. (Eds.), Biology of the Turbellaria. McGraw-Hill, New York, New York, pp. 1–16.
- Lang, A. (1884) Die Polycladen (Seeplanarien) des Golfes von Neapel und der angrenzenden meeresabschnitte. W. Engelmann, Leipzig, 688 pp. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.10545
- Laumer, C.E. & Giribet, G. (2014) Inclusive taxon sampling suggests a single, stepwise origin of ectolecithality in Platyhelminthes. Biological journal of the Linnean Society, 111 (3), 570–588. https://doi.org/10.1111/bij.12236
- Laumer, C.E., Hejnol, A. & Giribet, G. (2015) Nuclear genomic signals of the ‘microturbellarian’ roots of platyhelminth evolutionary innovation. eLife, 4, e05503. https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.05503.001
- Leasi, F., Sevigny, J.L., Laflamme, E.M., Artois, T., Curini-Galletti, M., Navarrete, A.J., Di Domenico, M., Goetz, F., Hall, J.A., Hochberg, R., Jörger, K.M., Jondelius, U., Todaro, M.A., Wirshing, H.H., Norenburg, J.L. & Thomas, W.K. (2018) Biodiversity estimates and ecological interpretations of meiofaunal communities are biased by the taxonomic approach. Communications Biology, 1, 112. https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-018-0119-2
- Martens, P. & Schockaert, E.R. (1985) On the anatomy of Gnosonesima mediterranea sp. n. from Corsica (Plathelminthes, Lecithoepitheliata) with special emphasis on its genito-intestinal connections. Microfauna Marina, 2, 397–410.
- Reisinger, E. (1926) Zur Turbellarienfauna der Antarktis. Deutsche Südpolar Expedition 1901-1903, 417–462.
- Schockaert, E.R. (1996) Turbellarians. In: Hall, G.S. (Ed.), Methods for the Examination of Organismal Diversity in Soils and Sediments. CAB International, Wallingford, pp. 211–225.
- Schockaert, E.R. & Martens, P.M. (1985) Turbellaria from Somalia: III. Lecithoepitheliata and Typhloplanoida. Monitore Zoologico Italiano, Supplement 20 (3), 27–41. https://doi.org/10.1080/03749444.1985.10736690
- Westblad, E. (1952) Some new "Alloeocoels" (Turbellaria) from the Scandinavian west coast. Univ Bergen Abrok, Naturvitenskaplig rekke, 7, 1–27.