Typhlopolycystis rubra Noldt and Reise, 1987

Schockaert, Ernest R., Moons, Patricia, Janssen, Toon, Tessens, Bart S., Reygel, Patrick C., Revis, Nathalie, Jouk, Philippe E. H., Willems, Wim R. & Artois, Tom J., 2019, On the genus Typhlopolycystis Karling, 1956 (Platyhelminthes, Kalyptorhynchia, Polycystididae), with data on the five known species and the description of eleven new species, Zootaxa 4603 (1), pp. 81-104 : 92

Typhlopolycystis rubra Noldt and Reise, 1987

( Fig. 9 )

Synonyms: Typhlopolycystis spec. in Reise (1983a, 1983b,1984, 1985), Scherer (1985)

Diagnosis. Species of Typhlopolycystis with an average length of 1 mm (0.5–1.6 mm) and with eyes. Many individuals are red. The proboscis is about 1/5 of the body length. The prostate stylet is 105–120 µm, the accessory stylet 80–90 µm both proximally attached to each other. The proximal diameter of the stylet is 38–44 µm. These are the measurements of Noldt & Reise (1987), which we can confirm on the two specimens we have. Both stylets are bent, while the accessory stylet has a strong distal curl and ends in a sharp point. The seminal receptacle has the form of a chilli pepper.

Occurrence. Germany: Isle of Sylt, Koeningshafen, sandy lugworm flat in the lower tidal zone. This species lives in the burrows of the lugworm Arenicola marina .

Material examined. Two whole mounts (syntypes) (ZMUG 8837—ex P 1999–2000). The holotype (a sectioned specimen) was not available.

Figures

FIGURE 9. Typhlopolycystis rubra Noldt and Reise, 1987. (A) Male atrial organs in the whole mount of a paratype. (B) The copulatory organ in the same individual. (C) Copulatory organ in the second paratype. (scale = 20 µm)