Schizochilus bueycabonensis, Diez & Reygel & Artois, 2019

Diez, Yander L., Reygel, Patrick & Artois, Tom, 2019, Schizorhynchia (Platyhelminthes, Rhabdocoela) from eastern Cuba, with the description of fifteen new species, Zootaxa 4646 (1), pp. 1-30 : 23

Schizochilus bueycabonensis sp. n.

( Fig. 12 E–F, 14C, 15D) http://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:2362B7AC-F4D5-45CA-8C70-29AADD5E3DB4

Material. Observations on live animals, whole mounted afterwards. Four whole mounts from Bueycabón (type locality) (November 18, 2017), one of which designated holotype ( FMNH https://id.luomus.fi/KV.620), other materials in HU (X.1.24– X.1.26), intertidal, upper 10 cm of fine-grained sand, salinity 31 ‰.

Etymology. The epithet refers to its occurrence in Bueycabón, the type locality of the new species.

Diagnosis. Species of Schizochilus with a spiny cirrus 37 μm long, armed with fine spines ±0.5 μm long. Tubular stylet lying inside the cirrus, ±31 μm long, with an oblique distal end. Copulatory bulb without a distal sclerotized cap.

Description. Animals 1–1.5 mm (x = 1.3 mm; n = 3), measured on whole mounts, translucent, without eyes. Habitus and internal organisation as in S. espinosai sp. n.. Proboscis lips 140–189 μm long (x = 162 μm; n = 8), with a pair of caudal glands. Pharynx 125–201 μm in diameter (x = 154 μm; n = 4), located at 70%.

Copulatory bulb ( Fig. 14C , 15D ) 84–104 μm long (x = 97 μm; n = 4), comprising the prostate vesicle and the spiny cirrus. The cirrus is 32–41 μm long (x = 37 μm; n = 4) and 4–7 μm wide proximally (x = 5 μm; n = 4), mea- sured over its midlength. The spines are very fine and ±0.5 μm long. A tubular stylet ( Fig. 12 E–F, 14C, 15D) runs centrally through the cirrus. It is 27–33 μm long (x = 31 μm; n = 4) and 5–7 μm wide proximally (x = 6 μm; n = 4). It has an oblique distal end. In two specimens, including the holotype, the stylet is constricted just distally from the proximal funnel-shaped end of the stylet. The distal wall of the copulatory bulb is not sclerotized, and does not form a cap.

Figures

FIGURE 12. Schizochilus espinosai sp. n.. A, body from the live animal. B, cirrus and stylet. Schizochilus atlanticus sp. n.. C–D, cirrus and stylet. Schizochilus bueycabonensis sp. n.. E–F, stylet. Schizochilus banesensis, sp. n.. G, cirrus and stylet. Schizochilus maximus sp. n.. H, cirrus and stylet. B–H, from whole mounts. B–C, F–H, from the holotype. D, E, from a Reference specimen (HU X.1.22).

FIGURE 14. Copulatory bulb of the species of Schizochilus without distal sclerotized cap in the cirrus. A–B, Schizochilus favus sp. n.. C, Schizochilus bueycabonensis sp. n.. D, Schizochilus lanzarotensis (from the holotype: SMNH Type-8911). A–D, from whole mounts. A, from a reference specimen (HU X.1.27). B–C, from the holotype.

FIGURE 15. Copulatory bulb in species of Schizochilus (from whole mounts). A–B, Schizochilus atlanticus sp. n.. C, Schizochilus banesensis sp. n.. D, Schizochilus bueycabonensis sp. n.. E, Schizochilus espinosai sp. n.. F, Schizochilus maximus sp. n.. A, C–F, from the holotype. B, from a reference specimen (HU X.1.22).