Cincturorhynchus karlingi Schockaert, 1982

Artois, Tom J. & Tessens, Bart S., 2008, Polycystididae (Rhabditophora: Rhabdocoela: Kalyptorhynchia) from the Indian Ocean, with the description of twelve new species, Zootaxa 1849, pp. 1-27 : 6

Cincturorhynchus karlingi Schockaert, 1982

Known distribution. Somalia: N of Mogadiscio (Hawadli) ( Schockaert 1982). McKenzie Point, Mombasa, Kenya ( Jouk & De Vocht 1989).

New localities in the Indian Ocean. McKenzie Point, Mombasa ( Kenya): red and green algae from a shallow tide pool sheltered behind some rocks, eulittoral (27/09/1991); same locality: tufts of fine-branched algae on a large beach and from a shallow tide pool a short distance past the Four Seasons Restaurant at the second obelisk (01/10/1991); same locality: on arboriform brown algae from a tide pool on rocks at about 15 m from the roundabout at the Four Seasons Restaurant (01/10/91); same locality: little algae from a rocky tide pool at and a short distance past the fence of the Four Seasons Restaurant (10/10/1991). Zanzibar (Tanzania): Mbweni, beach behind the Mbweni Ruins Hotel, north of the creek, in a little pool with seagrass (Thallasia spec?) (17/8/1995).

Material. Type material and other material of the original description. Several animals from Kenya and two from Zanzibar studied alive and whole mounted. Three sectioned specimens from Kenya.

Remarks. Habitus and internal organisation of the Kenyan and Tanzanian specimens correspond to the description by Schockaert (1982). On the new material the length of prostate stylet type II varies between 23– 31 µm (= 28, n = 6), with a basal ring of 15–23 µm diameter (= 20, n = 6). These measurements differ quite considerably from those given in the original description for the holotype (50 µm and 30 µm respectively). However, re–measuring of these parts in the holotype revealed a prostate stylet type II of only 25 µm long, with a basal ring of 17 µm diameter, corresponding to the measurements on the new material. In the holotype, five spines emerge from this ring. In the new specimens we counted 4–7 spines, depending on the orientation of the stylet. The prostate stylet type III can appear differently depending on the degree of compression, but mostly its structure as described in the original description ( Schockaert 1982) is easily recognised. However, because of its complexity, measurements on the prostate stylet type III are difficult to compare and the diameter lies between 25 (holotype) and 56 µm.

The construction of the female system is rather difficult to assess. Only one of the sectioned specimens from Kenya is in acceptable condition to be studied. The insemination ducts are not visible in this specimen. However, the swollen spermatic ducts (“seminal receptacles” of Schockaert 1982) are clearly visible. The female system should be studied on better material; we suppose that the Kenyan and Tanzanian populations do not differ from the Somali population as to construction of the female system.