Pseudomonocelis ophiocephala (O. Schmidt, 1861)

Curini-Galletti, Marco & Casu, Marco, 2005, Contribution to the knowledge of the genus Pseudomonocelis Meixner, 1943 (Rhabditophora: Proseriata), Journal of Natural History 39 (24), pp. 2187-2201 : 2194-2196

Pseudomonocelis ophiocephala (O. Schmidt, 1861)

( Figures 2 D–G, 3; Tables I–III)

The species, common and widespread in the Mediterranean in shallow-water habitats ( Murina 1981), is comparatively well known, and its morphology has been discussed at length by Meixner (1943) and Schockaert and Martens (1987). Thus, it may hardly appear to need reconsideration. However, karyological assays in NW Corsica revealed differences in karyotype among neighbouring populations, apparently without intergrades. This stimulated a karyological and morphological analysis of populations attributable to P. ophiocephala , on a wider geographical basis.

Populations studied

Thirteen populations, spanning the Mediterranean, were sampled ( Figure 3 ). Unless specified, populations were studied both karyologically and morphologically.

France: Corsica: Occelluccia cove ( OCC), reduced medium sand beneath stranded masses of P. oceanica leaves (‘‘banquette’’) (May 1996) ; Calvi ( CVI), harbour, mediumcoarse sand (May 1996) . Italy: Pto Torres ( PTO), harbour, at the mouth of the river Mannu , medium-coarse sand (karyology only) (September 2000) ; Biodola cove ( BIO), medium-coarse sand beneath a P. oceanica ‘‘banquette’’ (karyology only) (April 1999) ; Portoferraio bay ( PFE), medium-coarse sand (karyology only) (April 1999) ; Livorno ( LIV): harbour, medium-coarse sand (karyology only) (July 1996) ; Porto Cesareo, La Strea ( STR), sheltered medium sand (March 2000) . Greece: Corfu, Yacht Club harbour ( COR), coarse sand (December 1997) ; Corfu, Goubià ( GOU), very sheltered silty medium-fine sand (December 1997) ; Patràs ( PAT), about 5 km south of town, sheltered outlet of an artificial channel, silty medium sand (September 1998) ; Piraeus, Glyfada ( PIR), mediumcoarse sand (September 1998) ; Maliakòs ( MLK), harbour, silty coarse sand (September 1998) ; Nea Mihaniona ( NMI), harbour, silty coarse sand (September 1998) .

Israel: Haifa ( HAI), small fishing harbour just north of Tel Shiqmona , medium-coarse sand (October 1997) .

Figures

Figure 2. (A–C) Pseudomonocelis caribbea sp. n.: (A) copulatory organ; (B) female genital organs; (C) spermatogonial mitosis. (D–G) P. ophiocephala, spermatogonial mitoses from different populations: (D) CAL; (E) HAI; (F) MLK; (G) OCC. (H, I) P. cf. caυernicola: live animals showing cephalic pigmentation. (L) P. pardii: section of the female genital region at the ‘‘horizontal canal’’ level. See text for abbreviations. Scale bar: 5 Mm (C–G); 10 Mm (A, B, H, L); 100 Mm (I).

Figure 3. Sampling localities of study populations of Pseudomonocelis ophiocephala.