Prosthiostomum utarum Marcus, 1952

Cuadrado, Daniel, Hernández-Gonzalez, Alejandro, Noreña, Carolina & Simões, Nuno, 2024, Polyclads (Platyhelminthes) in the southern Gulf of Mexico: unveiling biodiversity and descriptions of two new species, ZooKeys 1221, pp. 103-144 : 103-144

Prosthiostomum utarum Marcus, 1952

Fig. 5 A

Material examined.

Quintana Roo coast, Mexico • 1; Mahahual; 18.6 ° N, 87.7 ° W; 13.4 m; 18 Mar. 2018; A. Hernández leg.; CRPPY - 0041 .

Distribution.

This species was described from Sao Sebastiao Island, Brazil (type locality; Marcus 1952) and the Praia das Conchas, Cabo Frío, Brazil ( Bahia et al. 2014; Bahia and Schrödl 2018), as well as on the Atlantic coast of Florida. It has also been recorded in the Caribbean Sea, Colombia ( Quiroga et al. 2004 a, 2004 b). The discovery of Prosthiostomum utarum on the coast of Quintana Roo presents a new record for this species in the Mexican Caribbean Sea.

Description.

Body shape elongated, 3 cm in length and 0.7 cm in width with a rounded anterior end and a pointed posterior end (Fig. 5 A ). Predominantly white tonalities and distinctive brown pigmentation along the midline and the anterior region. Cerebral eyes organised in two elongated clusters. Marginal eyes along the anterior region.

Remarks.

Prosthiostomum utarum , originally described as Lurymare utarum ( Marcus, 1952) , was recently reassigned to the genus Prosthiostomum based on the work of Litvaitis et al. (2019) based on the 28 S gene. The morphology of Gulf of Mexico specimens corresponds to the original description by Marcus (1952). A comprehensive investigation, including both morphological and molecular aspects, is necessary for accurate delimitation of the genera Lurymare and Prosthiostomum .

Figures

Figure 5. A Prosthiostomum utarum dorsal view B Enchiridium periommatum in situ C Enchiridium evelinae dorsal view D Enchiridium evelinae in situ.