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Eulatocestus pacificus Faubel 1983
Latocestus pacificus

Life   Platyhelminthes   Rhabditophora   Latocestidae   Eulatocestus

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Eulatocestus pacificus
© Copyright Marian K. Litvaitis, University of New Hampshire, 2005-2007 · 1
Eulatocestus pacificus
Overview
Initially described as Latocestus pacificus Laidlaw 1903, Faubel (1983) placed this species into the genus Eulatocestus. Hyman (1959) described one specimen of Eulatocestus pacificus from Palau (for description, see below). The specimen was collected by the Stanford Team at Station 64 from a small bay at the south end of the lagoon of Eil Malk on 7 Aug 1955.

Kinds
Material deposited at the US National Museum. Hyman specimen: USNM 28640 anterior part as whole mount, posterior part as sagittal sections (one slide).

Identification
According to Hyman (1959), Laidlaw's original decription is so meager that certain identification of the species is probably impossible. Laidlaw's two specimens were immature, so no information is available on the reproductive system. Thus, Hyman's (1959) identification and description is merely plausible.
Her specimen is 11 x1 mm and is of strap shape characteristic for the genus. It is brown and of thick opaque consistency. Numerous small eyes are located well posterior to the anterior margin as a medial band. Anterior to the brain, the eyes spray out over the anterior end as is typical for the genus. Marginal eyes are not well delineated from frontal eyes. Short ruffled pharynx near posterior end of worm (typical for genus). Male and female gonopores between pharynx and posterior end of worm. Free prostatic vesicle with thick muscular wall and glandular lining, small conical penis papilla, small seminal vesicle. Female gonopore separate from male pore, small Lang's vesicle.

Geographic distribution
Type Locality (Laidlaw's specimens): Rotuma, Fiji Islands (450 km north of Fiji). Also found in Palau.

References
Laidlaw FF (1903) Notes on some marine turbellarians from Torres Straits and the Pacific, with a description of new species. Mem Proc Manchester Library Phil Soc 47: 1-12
Hyman LH (1959) A further study of Micronesian polyclad flatworms. Proc US Nat Museum 108: 543-597
Faubel A (1983) The Polycladida, Turbellaria. Proposal and establishment of a new system. Part I. The Acotylea. Mitt Hamb zool Mus Inst 80: 17 - 121

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Updated: 2024-03-28 18:22:55 gmt
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