Obama allandra, Marques & Rossi & Valiati & Leal-Zanchet, 2018

Marques, Alessandro, Rossi, Ilana, Valiati, Victor Hugo & Leal-Zanchet, Ana Maria, 2018, Integrative approach reveals two new species of Obama (Platyhelminthes: Tricladida) from the South-Brazilian Atlantic Forest, Zootaxa 4455 (1), pp. 99-126 : 119

Obama allandra sp. nov.

By presenting a median band yellOwish and lighter On the anteriOr regiOn Of bOdy, O. allandra can be distinguished frOm O. argus , O. burmeisteri , O. evelinae , and O. riesteri , which shOw a stripped pattern alOng the entire bOdy ( Graff 1899; Schirch 1929; Riester 1938; Marcus 1951; CG FrOehlich 1955), and frOm O. polyophthalma , which has irregular flecks withOut fOrming stripes Or bands. In additiOn, O. polyophthalma shOws cOnspicuOus clear halOs surrOunding the eyes ( Graff 1899; FrOehlich 1956), whereas in O. allandra , clear halOs are incOnspicuOus.

With respect tO the cOpulatOry Organs, by presenting male atrium with fOlded walls, O. allandra differs frOm these six species, which shOw male atrium unfOlded, but resembles O. polyophthalma ( Graff 1899; Riester 1938; Marcus 1951; CG FrOehlich 1955). Obama allandra and O. polyophthalma shOw similar Overall characteristics in their cOpulatOry Organs, with high variability regarding male atrium and penis papilla shape. Besides the external features cOmmented abOve, histOlOgical details Of the cOpulatOry Organs can be used tO distinguish bOth species. In O. allandra there is an invaginatiOn Of the dOrsOlateral wall Of the male atrium, which receives numerOus Openings Of glands cOntaining a predOminantly cyanOphil secretiOn, (mixed secretiOn with a cyanOphil peripheral part and an erythrOphil cOre). In cOntrast, in O. polyophthalma , the dOrsal wall shOws nO invaginatiOn and therefOre erythrOphil glands Open directly thrOugh the dOrsal wall Of the male atrium (CG FrOehlich 1956).