Typhlopolycystis riegeri, Schockaert & Moons & Janssen & Tessens & Reygel & Revis & Jouk & Willems & Artois, 2019

Schockaert, Ernest R., Moons, Patricia, Janssen, Toon, Tessens, Bart S., Reygel, Patrick C., Revis, Nathalie, Jouk, Philippe E. H., Willems, Wim R. & Artois, Tom J., 2019, On the genus Typhlopolycystis Karling, 1956 (Platyhelminthes, Kalyptorhynchia, Polycystididae), with data on the five known species and the description of eleven new species, Zootaxa 4603 (1), pp. 81-104 : 95

Typhlopolycystis riegeri n. sp. Artois & Schockaert.

( Figs 12 A–C)

Diagnosis. Colourless species of Typhlopolycystis of about 1 mm with a proboscis 1/6 to 1/5 of the body length and with eyes. The prostate stylet is rather broad (18 and 14 µm, 14 µm in the holotype), 99 (in the holotype) and 104 µm long, almost straight in the proximal 2/3 of its length, then bent over 90° and tapering to a blunt end. The accessory stylet starts at the convex end of the main stylet; after a short turn over 180° it is straight and pointed, 104 and 91 µm long. The proximal diameter is 26–29 µm. The prostate vesicle seems reduced. The seminal receptacle is pear-shaped.

Occurrence. Tanzania: Mbweni (Zanzibar Island), beach behind the Mbweni Ruins Hotel, south of the creek, in a higher part of the tidal sand flat, with relatively coarse sand (by Artois & Schockaert, 11 August 1995; Type Locality). Same locality but north of the creek, in a small pool with sea-grass (Thallasia spec.), all at low tide.

Material examined. A whole mount from the type locality, indicated as holotype. (SMNH nr 8917). A second whole mount from the second habitat (HU nr III.1.47).

Etymology. We dedicate this species in honour and friendship of the late Prof. Dr. R. Rieger (Innsbruck, Austria).

Figures

FIGURE 12. Typhlopolycystis riegeri n. sp. (A) The atrial organs in the living animal. (B) The copulatory organ in the holotype. (C) The copulatory organ in the paratype. Typhlopolycystis tahitiensis n.sp. (D) The copulatory organ in the holotype. (E-F) The copulatory organ in two syntypes from Tahiti (G). The copulatory organ in an individual from Rangiroa. (H) The atrial organs in the whole mount of a syntype. Typhlopolycystis australiensis n.sp. (I) The copulatory organ in the holotype and (J) its seminal receptacle. (scale = 20 µm)