Species ID
OC-SP-0002626
Discovered
Phylum
Platyhelminthes
Species ID
OC-SP-0002626
Provisional Species Name
Cicerinidae sp_S_42
Lowest Valid Taxon Name in WoRMS
Cicerinidae
Lowest Known Rank
Family
Status
Discovered
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Embargo
No
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Platyhelminthes
Order
Rhabdocoela
Family
Cicerinidae
Taxonomic Remarks
Cicerinidae sp.1 is a new species belonging to the subfamily Acrumeninae, a group of cicerinids of difficult classification that have been included as a subfamily of Cicerinidae based on molecular phylogenetic analyses. The provisional placement of the new species on that subfamily is due to the lack of hard pieces in the bursa. However, I cannot certainly assign Cicerinidae sp.1 to any of the genera within Acrumeninae. However, the morphology of the male copulatory organs indicates a close relationship of Cicerinidae sp.1 with species of Ethmorhynchus, particularly E. anophthalmus. However, both species are clearly differentiable by the lack of the secretion vacuoles in the proboscis of E. anophthalmus, which are present in Cicerinidae sp.1. The lack of these vacuoles was considered diagnostic for Acrumeninae, however, later they were recorded in E. styliferus. In addition, the epidermis of both E. Anophthalmus and E. styliferus is covered by epidermal secretions in drops (or spheric glands), which lack in Cicerinidae sp.1.
Received All Minimal Data for Discovery
01/04/2026
Description of Material
Species of Acrumeninae with a girdle of secretion vacuoles in the proboscis and without eyes. Pharynx in the anterior body half. Testes and atrial organs in the posterior third of the body. The male bulb receives proximally the common seminal duct and contains proximally the prostate vesicle and distally a cirrus. The seminal duct and the prostate vesicle enter independently the cirrus. The cirrus is armed of 3–4-µm-long, curved spines. The ovaries lie beside the male bulb and the bursa and female duct posteriorly.
Ecology
Fine-grained, silty sand, 0.5 m deep, salinity 35 ‰.
Distribution
United States of America, Florida, Fort Pierce, 27.458445; -80.317020.
Scientific Name Authorship
Diez, Yander L.
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