Maritigrella virgulata, Newman, 2000

Newman, Leslie J., 2000, A new genus of euryleptid ¯ atworm (Platyhelminthes, Polycladida) from the Indo-Paci ® c, Journal of Natural History 34, pp. 191-205 : 201-202

Maritigrella virgulata sp. nov.

(®gures 18±20, 26)

Material examined

HOLOTYPE: G211045, WM, 31 January 1992, under rubble, reef crest, Heron Is., southern GBR. PARATYPES: G211046, WM, 15 August 1992; G211047, WM, 26 August 1992; G211049, LS; G211048 , WM .

D escription

Background cream-white with narrow, black, transverse stripes surrounded by grey pigment, stripes unequal lengths, longer stripes forming large black, irregular spots/blotches medially (®gure 18). Margin with black stripes, often bifurcate at the rim. Medially with irregular orange spots or blotches in a line starting posterior to the cerebral eyespot. Ventral surface same pattern, without orange spots. Holotype with two suckers, posterior sucker more pronounced and mid-body (®gure 19). Size range 15Ö 8 mm (immature) to 45Ö 15 mm (mature).

Seminal vesicle small, elongate oval (325 m m long); prostate slightly smaller than seminal vesicle, elongate oval (300 m m long); stylet 135 m m long Ö 54 m m wide, length 5 width ratio = 1 5 2.5 (®gure 20). Female system not developed.

D iagnosis

Cream with black transverse stripes, black spots and blotches towards centre, orange spots medially.

Etymology Named from the Latin, virgulata = with stripes, for its distinct stripes.

Remarks

This species is similar to M. eschara , however, M. virgulata has transverse stripes (not narrow lines) and distinct spots and blotches (few small blotches). All animals were found on their prey, solitary, yellow colonial ascidians. When feeding the pharynx was observed extruded and inserted into individual zooids.

D istribution Rare from the reef crest, Heron Is., southern GBR.