Cryptocelis compacta Lang, 1884

Noreña, Carolina, Rodríguez, Jorge, Pérez, Jacinto & Almon, Bruno, 2015, New Acotylea (Polycladida, Platyhelminthes) from the east coast of the North Atlantic Ocean with special mention of the Iberian littoral, Zootaxa 4039 (1), pp. 157-172 : 166

Cryptocelis compacta Lang, 1884

Figure 4

Material examined. All specimens collected in Ría de Arousa, Galicia, Spain. One specimen found in the "Touro" area (15/03/2011) coords. 42º 32.918' N / 08º 58.278' W. Two specimens from “A Ameixida” (19/03/2014), coords. 42º 32.058' N / 08º 59.309' W.

Description. Elongated worms 30–50 mm long and 10–20 mm wide. Lengths were dependent on if the specimens were moving ( Fig. 4 A, B) or resting ( Fig. 4 E,F) when photographed. The shape of the body also changed between the moving and resting stages, from slightly pointed with a rounded anterior ( Fig. 4 A,B), to elongated with smooth parallel margins and rounded ends, slightly wider posteriorly ( Fig. 4 E,F). Both dorsal and ventral surfaces appear translucent with whitish pigmentation ( Fig. 4 A, B, E, F). Without tentacles. Marginal eyes around the entire body margin; cerebral eyes in two elongated patches, tentacular eyes small and rounded; frontal eyes scattered between tentacular and marginal eyes. Eye number and distribution pattern only visible in fixed and cleared individuals.

Ruffled pharynx along the medial axis, well developed and folded ( Fig. 4 C). Oral pore at the middle of the pharynx. Intestinal branches anastomosing, extending up to near the body margin. Body margin lacks intestinal branches. Male and female genital pores separate but close to each other ( Fig. 4 C, D).

Reproductive system ( Fig. 4 C, D): Male copulatory apparatus comprises paired vasa deferentia, which join together before entering the male muscle bulb. The vasa deferentia develop to spermiducal vesicles. Before joining the common vas deferens, both ducts present a visible dilatation resembling an external or false seminal vesicle. The male apparatus is located anterior to the male pore and is directed backwards. The male bulb houses the intrabulbar prostatic vesicle. As characteristic for the genus, the prostatic vesicle is a massive, highly muscular cylinder, divided into a short proximal region and a longer distal region. The proximal region shows a muscular wall and glandular finger-like extensions that project into the lumen. The distal part of the prostatic vesicle is highly muscularized; its lumen is tubular and sinuous, with a glandular epithelial lining. The prostatic vesicle opens distally into a small male atrium through a blunt penis papilla.

The female gonopore leads into a short rounded female atrium. Dorsal to the atrium lies the vagina externa, which has several pouches. The vagina then turns backwards at a right angle (parallel to the ventral surface) leading to the vagina interna and a bulbous extension that receives two oviducts from the anterior end of the body. Numerous cement glands surround the female apparatus, except around the terminal bulb area.

Distribution ( Fig. 1 ). Cryptocelis compacta was found on several occasions near A Ameixida (Ribeira, Ria de Arousa, Galicia, Spain), at depths between 5 and 7 metres under partially buried stones on a sandy bottom. Until now, C. compacta was only known in the Gulf of Naples in the Mediterranean basin. Therefore, this is the first record for this species in the North Atlantic Ocean.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Studied Acotylea species distribution. A, Acotylea distribution in Europe; B, Acotylea distribution in the Iberian Peninsula; C, Acotylea distribution in Galicia, Spain; D, Cryptocelis compacta (green dots); E, Hoploplana elisabelloi n. sp. (orange dots); F, Discocelis tigrina (purple dots); G, Armatoplana celta n. sp. (grey dots); H, Stylochus neapolitanus (blue dots).

FIGURE 4. Cryptocelis compacta Lang, 1884. A, B, E, F living specimens; C, sagittal reconstruction of a whole specimen; D, sagittal reconstruction of the reproductive system (anterior to the right). Abbreviations; cg, cement glands; dpv, distal part of the prostatic vesicle; fa, female atrium; fp, female pore; fvs, false seminal vesicle; i, intestine; mc, male copulatory organ; mp, male pore: op, oral pore; ov, ovaries; ph, pharynx; pp, penis papilla; ppv, proximal part of the prostatic vesicle; shg, shell glands; spv, spermiducal vesicle; vd, vas deferens; ve, vagina externa; vi, vagina interna.