Phaenocora kepneri Gilbert, 1935

Houben, Albrecht M., Steenkiste, Niels Van & Artois, Tom J., 2014, Revision of Phaenocora Ehrenberg, 1836 (Rhabditophora, Typhloplanidae, Phaenocorinae) with the description of two new species, Zootaxa 3889 (3), pp. 301-354 : 339-340

Phaenocora kepneri Gilbert, 1935

( Figs 12 B, 15C)

Phaenocora kepneri Gilbert 1935: 287 , 290, 297–302, 306–310, 313–317, 320, 323–327, 329–331, 334–336, 339, 341–344, 349, 358–359, 366, 368, 370, 373, 375–376, TextFigs 1E, 2Ba, 2Bb, 2Bc, 2Bd, tables 1, 2; Gilbert 1937: 53 –60, 62–63, 67–70; Gilbert 1938a: 201, 203–204, 207, 211; Gilbert 1938b: 213, 215, 220–221; Hyman 1951: Figs 39A, B, C; Hyman 1955: 15; Karling 1956: 195; Young & Harris 1973: 87; Watermolen 2005: 3.

Known distribution: Marsh Creek (Adams County, Pennsylvania, USA) ( Gilbert 1935); in the vicinity of Princeton (New Jersey, USA), Swampy place off Brandywine Creek (New Castle County, Delaware, USA) ( Hyman 1955). Material examined: None.

Diagnosis: Animals about 2–2.5 mm long, with a tail. Eyes present, with a variable amount of pigmentation. Without body pigmentation. Zoochlorellae present although seldom in great number. Dermal rhabdites present throughout the entire epidermis. Male copulatory organ of the duplex-type IIB, with an S-shaped cirrus bearing spines in its median part. Distal part of the cirrus lobed, sclerotised. Female genital system of the AGLOBULATA - type. Female genital canal very long. Five giant unicellular glands present at the conjunction of the female genital canal and the short genito-bursal duct. Intestinal bursa variable in size and appearance. A long burso-intestinal duct connects the intestinal bursa with the gut.

Remarks: The number of giant unicellular glands apparently can vary, since Gilbert (1935) stated that there should always be five of them but later, he ( Gilbert 1938b) stated that there are always three of these cells.