Rhipidocotyle, Diesing, 1907

Derbel, Hela, Châari, Manel & Neifar, Lassad, 2011, Redescription of Rhipidocotyle galeata (Rudolphi, 1819) (Digenea, Bucephalidae), the type species of Rhipidocotyle Diesing, 1907, Zoosystema 33 (2), pp. 133-139 : 138-139

KEY TO THE RHIPIDOCOTYLE SPECIES FROM MEDITERRANEAN SEA

1. Vitelline follicles in two lateral fields anterior to gonads ............................................. 2

— Vitelline follicles forming an arc in the sinistral part of body; not passing anteriorly to level of ovary .............................................................................................................. 7

2. Caecum directed anteriorly from pharynx .................................................................. 3

— Caecum directed posteriorly from pharynx ................................................................. 6

3. Rhynchus devoid of dorsal hood; vitelline follicles at anterior extremity of posterior half of body ..................................................................................................... R. longicirrus

— Rhynchus with dorsal hood or lobes; vitelline follicles located anteriorly in body ....... 4

4. Dorsal hood with seven prominences; not separated from body by furrow ....... R. minima

— Dorsal hood more or less lobed; separated from body by furrow ................................. 5

5. Excretory vesicle extending well anterior to pharynx; dorsal hood lobed with two pointed processes on each side bearing spines; cirrus sac reaching the pharynx ........... R. viperae

— Excretory vesicle reaching level of pharynx; anterior extremity of hood unarmed; ventral extremity of hood slightly lobed, not pointed; cirrus sac reaching posterior testis .......... ...................................................................................................................... R. triglae

6. Hood pentagonal .................................................................................. R. pentagonum

— Hood horseshoe-shaped, ventral aspect with two extremities bearing distinct lobes ....... .................................................................................................................... R. capitata

7. Proximal extremity of cirrus sac at level of mid body; uterine loops extending anteriorly to anterior testis level; body length 448-627 µm ............................................. R. genovi

— Proximal part of cirrus sac more posterior to mid body; uterine loops extending anteriorly to posterior margin of rhynchus; body length 1000-1650 µm ....................... R. galeata