Species ID
OC-SP-0002620
Discovered
Phylum
Platyhelminthes
Species ID
OC-SP-0002620
Provisional Species Name
Cheliplana sp_IRLBB_01600
Lowest Valid Taxon Name in WoRMS
Cheliplana
Lowest Known Rank
Genus
Status
Discovered
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Embargo
No
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Platyhelminthes
Order
Rhabdocoela
Family
Cheliplanidae
Genus
Cheliplana
Taxonomic Remarks
With 50 described species, Cheliplana is among the most speciose and morphologically complex genera within Rhabdocoela. Therefore, comparison of Cheliplana sp.1 is restricted to the most similar species—those lacking denticles on the proboscis hooks, possessing a single testis and two seminal vesicles, lacking accessory cirri, stylets, or penial papillae, with the ejaculatory duct neither sclerotised to form a tube nor ending in a distal cap, and bearing cirrus’ spines uniform in shape. These species are C. barringtonensis, C. cubana, C. firmata, C. microcirrus, C. piriformis, C. rubescens, and C. santiaguera. Cheliplana sp.1 is distinguished from these species by its much longer cirrus (73–74 µm), second in length only to that of C. cubana (152 µm). However, the cirrus of C. cubana is distally curved, U-shaped, and armed with small, fine spines, whereas the cirrus is straight and the spines are robust and measure 9 µm in length in Cheliplana sp.1. All other mentioned species possess a cirrus covered with small (0.5–2 µm), thin spines. The cirrus length of C. piriformis is unknown, but it is composed of 2–4 chambers, whereas no chambers are differentiated in Cheliplana sp.1.
Received All Minimal Data for Discovery
01/04/2026
Description of Material
Species of Cheliplana with simple proboscis hooks measuring 25–27 µm in length (x¯ = 26 µm; n = 2). The prepharyngeal cavity is lined with strong, claw-shaped spines. A single testis is located adjacent to the pharynx, and the atrial organs are situated in the posterior third of the body. Two seminal vesicles are present. The cirrus measures 73–74 µm in length (n = 2) and is completely armed with robust spines. These triangular spines measure 8–10 µm in length (x¯ = 9 µm; n = 15).
Ecology
Medium-grained and well-sorted sand, 10 m deep, salinity 37 ‰.
Distribution
United States of America, Florida, 6.75 km SE from the mouth of Fort Pierce Inlet, 27.429300; -80.241083.
Scientific Name Authorship
Diez, Yander L.
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