|Une nouvelle planaire primitive d'origine marine, trubellarié triclade de Polynésie = A new Triclad of marine origin from Polynesia|
Gourbault, N. (1978). Une nouvelle planaire primitive d'origine marine, trubellarié triclade de Polynésie = A new Triclad of marine origin from Polynesia. Cah. Biol. Mar. 19(1): 23-36
In: Cahiers de Biologie Marine. Station Biologique de Roscoff: Paris. ISSN 0007-9723, more
A small, blind and unpigmented triclad was collected from the phreatic layer of Tahiti. This subterranean form lacks a primary bursa and is characterized by a bifid duct that is located posteriorly to the single gonopore. This duct meets dorsaly with the oviducts and is connected ventrally to the digestive tract. The pharynx is short and in a relatively posterior position and the mouth opens three-quarters of the way along the pharyngeal pouch. Many of these features show striking similarities with some Procerodidae whereas the sensory organs are perhaps most similar to those of the primitive Dugesiidae. At the present level of knowledge and considering current difficulties in the classification of the Haploneura, it is not easy to be sure of the exact systematic position of this monotypic genus, but its marine origin is undoubted. The originality of the genus is emphasized by additional data on its biology, caryology and ecology.