Phaenocora jucunda Cognetti

Houben, Albrecht M., Steenkiste, Niels Van & Artois, Tom J., 2014, Revision of Phaenocora Ehrenberg, 1836 (Rhabditophora, Typhloplanidae, Phaenocorinae) with the description of two new species, Zootaxa 3889 (3), pp. 301-354 : 346

Phaenocora jucunda Cognetti de Martiis, 1916

Phoenocora jucunda (incorrect subsequent spelling) Cognetti de Martiis 1916: 189–247 plate 11 Figs 1 –28, plate 12 Fig. 29–61.

Phaenocora jucunda Beklemischev 1929: 535 –537, 541, 549, 550; Gilbert 1935: 284, 286, 302, 306–307, 310, 312, 342–343, 349, 352, 354, TextFig. 3D, tables 1, 2; Gilbert 1937: 56 –58; Marcus 1946: 66 –67, 70–71, 78.

Known distribution: Parco del Valentino (Torino, Italy) in the botanical gardens (Cognetti de Martiis 1916).

According to Cognetti de Martiis (1916) animals can reach a maximum length of 4 to 4.5 mm and are 1 mm broad. A short tail is present. The overall body colour is red-brown and the eyes appear pink under reflective light and black under transmissive light. Pigmentation is present in the region anterior to the pharynx, which gives it a flesh-coloured to brown appearance. Zoochlorellae are absent. The male copulatory organ is poorly described and only a reconstruction of the evaginated copulatory organ can be found in literature (Cognetti De Martiis 1916). Therefore, it is not possible to assign the copulatory organ unambiguously to a particular type. It is of either the duplex-type IA or the duplex-type IIIA. The female genital system is clearly of the AGLOBULATA - type. Except for the overall body length, this species could be identical to P. brincki or to P. gracilis , but new material is needed for further investigations.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Photographs of live animals A, P. evelinae. B, P. foliacea from South Africa. C, P. foliacea from India. D, P. aglobulata sp. nov.. E – H, P. gilberti sp. nov.: E – F, pigmentation of the head. G, male copulatory organ. H, female genital canal.