Pericelis cata Marcus and Marcus, 1986

Noreña, Carolina, 2017, The Polycladida (Platyhelminthes) of the Canary Islands. New genus, species and records, Zootaxa 4312 (1) : -

Pericelis cata Marcus and Marcus, 1986

( Figs. 5 and 11 G)

Material examined. One specimen from El Médano (05/05/2016), Tenerife, Canary Islands ( Fig. 1 , T4; Table 1 and 2) by Leopoldo Moro. 60 slides of sagittal serial sectioned specimen and stained with AZAN; Catalogue number: MNCN 4.01 / 1878-1938.

Type locality. Curaçao ( Marcus & Marcus 1968).

Distribution. Colombia, in the Caribe ( Quiroga et al. 2004); Cape Frio, Rio of Janeiro ( Bahia & Padula 2009); in the entrance of Todos los Santos Bay near the city of Salvador de Bahia ( Queiroz et al. 2013); Canary Island (Psudocerotidae sp.1 De Vera et al, 2009 page 50, fig. 1F).

Occurrence in the Canary Island. Pericelis cata was observed at depths of intertidal to 7 metres, almost throughout the year.

Description. Body shape oval. Length 2.5 cm. Smooth dorsal surface. Background colour of dark brown tonalities with white spots and patches distributed randomly on the dorsal surface ( Fig. 5 A). Ventral sucker at the posterior end. Two small pseudotentacles with simple folds, far from each other ( Fig. 5 B). The cerebral eyes clusters are small in size. Ruffled pharynx located in the anterior third of the body. Oral pore is in the first third of the body, posterior to the cerebral ganglion.

Reproductive system: single male copulatory organ, anterior to the female system ( Fig. 5 C and D) and ventrally orientated. Penis papilla elongated and internal covered with glandular tissue that assumes the function of prostatic vesicle ( Fig. 5 D). Seminal vesicle covered by a big muscular bulb. Female copulatory organ characterized by a bulbous vagina.

Taxonomic remarks. The external and internal anatomical characteristics of the Canarian specimens correspond with the description made by Marcus & Marcus in 1968 of Curacao Pericelis cata from Curacao. Likewise, it is necessary to indicate that the specimens photographed by Vera et al in 1986 and determined as Pseudocerotidae sp show great similarity with the dorsal pigmentation of Pericelis cata , but the lack of material for comparison avoids a definitive determination. Therefore, this can be considered the first record of Pericelis cata for the Canary Islands and for the Temperate Northern Atlantic marine ecoregion ( Spalding et al. 2007).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Sampling station of the Canary Islands (for explanation of legends see Table 1).

FIGURE 5. Pericelis cata (MNCN 4.01 / 1878 - 1938). A. In vivo, dorsal view; B. Detail of the anterior region, highlighting the pseudotentacles; C. Sagittal section of the reproductive system; D. Sagittal reconstruction of the reproductive structures. am, male atrium; af, female atrium; pb, penis bulb; pv, prostatic vesicle; sv, seminal vesicle; vb, bulbous vagina.

FIGURE 11. Species located in the Canary archipelago, in vivo. A. Eurylepta guayota n. sp. B. Prostheceraeus giesbrechtii Lang, 1884. C. Prostheceraeus roseus Lang, 1884. D. Enchiridium magec n. sp. E. Anonymus virilis Lang, 1884. F. Anonymus ruber n. sp. G. Pericelis cata Marcus and Marcus, 1986. H. Phrikoceros mopsus (Marcus, 1952) Quiroga, 2008. I. Pseudobiceros wirtzi Bahia and Schrödl, 2016. J. Pseudoceros maximus Lang, 1884. K. Pseudoceros velutinus (Blanchard, 1847) Lang, 1884. L. Pseudoceros mororum n. sp. M. Pseudoceros sp. N. Thysanozoon brocchii (Risso, 1818) Grube 1840. O. Acanthozoon aranfaibo n. sp. P. Yungia aurantiaca (Delle Chiaje, 1822) Lang, 1884. Q. Cestoplana rubrocincta (Grube, 1840) Lang, 1884. R. Multisepta fengari n. sp. S. Planocera pellucida (Mertens, 1833) Örsted, 1844.