1. The true identity of O bama ( Platyhelminthes: Geoplanidae) flatworm spreading across Europe.
- Author
-
Carbayo, Fernando, Álvarez-Presas, Marta, Jones, Hugh D., and Riutort, Marta
- Subjects
- *
GEOPLANIDAE , *PLANARIA , *INVERTEBRATE morphology , *ANIMAL species , *ZOOLOGICAL specimens - Abstract
Since 2008 there have been many records in Europe ( British Isles, Spain, France, Italy) of a large terrestrial planarian morphologically very similar to the Brazilian species O bama marmorata. Sequences of mitochondrial ( Cox1) and nuclear (18S, 28S, ITS-1 and EF) genes from European specimens and some from Brazil indicate that they belong to a species different from that of other specimens also collected in Brazil. Moreover, the phylogenetic results show that they are not sister-species. Histological sections of both Brazilian and European specimens reveal subtle morphological differences between the two species. O bama marmorata is confined to Brazil, and the second, herein described new species, O bama nungara sp. nov., is found in Brazil and Europe. These cryptic species may be syntopic in areas in Brazil. The new species occurs in human-modified environments both in Brazil and in Europe. We also conclude that the specimens from Spain and Argentina identified previously as O bama marmorata belong to the new species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2016
- Full Text
- View/download PDF