Brunetorhynchus cannoni, Schockaert, Ernest R., Martens, Paul M., Revis, Nathalie, Janssen, Toon, Willems, Wim & Artois, Tom J., 2014

Schockaert, Ernest R., Martens, Paul M., Revis, Nathalie, Janssen, Toon, Willems, Wim & Artois, Tom J., 2014, A new genus with six new species of Typhlopolycystidinae Evdonin, 1977 (Platyhelminthes, Kalyptorhynchia, Polycystididae), Zootaxa 3755 (3), pp. 259-272 : 268

Brunetorhynchus cannoni n. sp. Schockaert & Artois

( Fig. 6 )

Holotype. A whole mount from Broken Head, NSW, Australia, fine-grained sand from an open beach south of the headland, (27 October 1997) (QM S234108).

Paratypes. Two whole mounts from the type locality (HU, nos 555–556).

Other material studied. Three specimens in one whole mount (HU, nos VI.2.34a–VI.2.34c) from Arrawarra, NSW, Australia, from a tide pool between rocks on the headland with large arborescent algae in the upper littoral (27 October 1997). Four whole mounts from Coffs Harbour, NSW, Australia (HU, nos VI.2.35–VI.2.38), in finegrained sand in the mid-littoral and at the low tide mark of the northern part of Park Beach (15 July 2003). Two sectioned specimens (HU, nos VI.2.39–VI.2.40) from fine-grained sand in the mid-littoral at the southern end of Tallow Beach, NSW, Australia near Broken Head (20 July 2003). One whole mount (HU, no VI.2.41) from Coffs Harbour, NSW, Australia: Coffs Creek, under mangroves, 150 m west of bridge at the north bank, dark silty sand, (23 July 2003).

Other localities. Woolgoolga, NSW, Australia, open beach (30 October 1997). Arrawarra, NSW, Australia, Ulva -like and other green algae from rocks in the creek near the caravan park (31 October 1997). Byron Bay, NSW, Australia: fine-grained sand from an open beach near the youth hostel (25 October 1997).

Etymology. Species dedicated to Dr. Lester Cannon former curator at the Queensland Museum (Brisbane, Australia) and known student of symbiotic flatworms.

Diagnosis. Species of Brunetorhynchus with slightly curved stylet, about 45–55 µm long, with circular thickened proximal opening, a pointed distal end and one faint spiral ornamentation.

Description. The animals are about 0.5 mm long (measured in the whole mounts), with eyes. Contrary to the other species of Brunetorhynchus , the eyes are closer to each other than to the lateral sides. Though the sections are of very mediocre quality, they clearly show that the conus retractors in the proboscis are arranged in parallel and that the integument retractors are stronger than in the other species, also indicated by the fact that the proboscis was retracted in the sectioned and in some of the whole-mounted individuals.

The stylet is slightly curved, 46–56 µm long (m = 49 µm; n = 8). At the proximal opening, with slightly thickened rim, it is 8–10 µm broad and tapers gradually towards a sharp distal tip with a slit-like terminal opening at the convex side. On the proximal third there is a faint spirally-running ridge. A prostate vesicle was not observed in the living animals, nor in the whole mounts or in the sections. The seminal receptacle, filled with sperm, was seen in the living animal but is not found in the mounted specimens. Its exact shape and size remains unknown.

Figures

FIGURE 6. Brunetorhynchus cannoni n. sp. (A) The living animal. (B, C) Drawings of stylet. (D, E) Micrographs of stylets in whole mounts. (B, D) from the holotype, (C) in an individual from Coffs Harbour. (E) in an individual from Arrawarra (scale bars = 25 µm)