Enchiridium punctatum Hyman, 1953

Ramos-Sánchez, Mariela, 2024, The polyclads (Platyhelminthes: Polycladida) from the Tropical Eastern Pacific: Commented checklist and description of a new species, European Journal of Taxonomy 962 (1), pp. 1-67 : 42

Enchiridium punctatum Hyman, 1953

Enchiridium punctatum Hyman, 1953a: 385–387 , figs 60–61 (type locality: Laguna Beach, California, United States).

Enchiridium punctatum – Brusca 1980: 73, fig. 4.10 (new record from southern California and Gulf of California); 2005: 69 (new record from Point Arguello, California, United States and Espiritu Santo, Baja California Sur, Mexico).

Distribution

Laguna Beach, Corona del Mar, Newport Bay, Redondo, Point Arguello, California, United States; Espíritu Santo Island, Baja California Sur, Mexico. The species therefore appears distributed along the southern part of the California coast and in the Gulf of Mexico.

Habitat

Benthic.

Remarks

The species is characterized by an elongated body with a dorsal coloration white with cream, with a pattern of black and brown spots, cerebral eyes arranged in two groups, marginal eyes distributed throughout the body, and a tubular pharynx. The male reproductive system oriented towards the posterior region of the body, features an oval seminal vesicle and accessory seminal vesicles, and a penis papilla armed with a sclerosed stipe. The female reproductive system is oriented towards the anterior region of the body, comprising a tubular vagina and a female atrium with glandular pouches ( Hyman 1953a; Brusca 1980, 2005).