du Bois-Reymond Marcus, 1955
Overview
Diagnosis: Puiteca camica du Bois-Reymond Marcus, 1955. The characteristic cross-shaped appearance precludes confusion with any other triclad known to date.
Habitus: The cross-shaped body of the living animal was about 3 mm long, but measured only 1.75 mm in the preserved state (Du Bois-Reymond Marcus 1955). The hind end of the body carries two large, ventral suckers and two, smaller and cup-shaped dorsal suckers. The front end of the body consists of one median and two, more or less bifid, lateral lobes. The animal lacks any pigmentation.
Alimentary System
The pharynx is situated in the middle of the body and measures about one-fourth of the body length. The inner circular muscle layer of the pharynx is about twice as thick as the outer layer of circular muscles. The mouth opening is situated at the anterior end of the pharyngeal cavity.
The anterior ramus of the intestine extends forwards from the root of the pharynx to anterior to the eyes, while it gives off three pairs of preocellar lateral diverticula. From the root of the pharynx the anterior gut trunk runs dorsally to the pharyngeal cavity, the caudally running branches only emerging behind the cavity. These caudal gut trunks do not communicate with each other.
Male Reproductive System
Numerous, relatively small and dorsally situated testes extend from directly behind the brain into the hind end of the body. According to Du Bois-Reymond Marcus (1955) there are about 100 follicles in total. Caudally to the pharyngeal cavity the vasa deferentia unite to form a broad, winding common vas deferens, which penetrates the antero-median surface of the muscularized penis bulb. Immediately after having entered the bulb the common vas deferens expands to form a large, rounded seminal vesicle, filling up most of the space within the bulb. The postero-median wall of this vesicle forms a narrow duct, which opens at the tip of the pointed intrapenial papilla. The intrabulbar seminal vesicle is surrounded by a well developed layer of circular muscles, which is very strongly developed around the point where the duct emerges that runs through the intrapenial papilla.
The intrapenial papilla projects into the proximal, funnel-shaped part of the ejaculatory duct. The distal part of the last-mentioned duct is provided with cila and opens at the tip of the penis papilla; the duct is lined with an infranucleate epithelium. The ejaculatory duct receives the secretion of three types of penis gland. A densely dark-yellow staining, granular secretion is discharged into the most proximal section of the ejaculatory duct. The openings of this type of gland pierce the lining epithelium of the funnel-shaped part of the ejaculatory duct as well as the epithelium of the intrapenial papilla. A second type of penis gland discharges a granular, orange-red secretion into the funnel-shaped section of the ejaculatory duct; the openings of this second type of gland are situated just caudally to the region occupied by the openings of the first type of gland. The region receiving the openings of the third type of penis gland lies around the tubular section of the ejaculatory duct. The faintly red staining, granular secretion accumulates between septa which surround the proximal part of the tubular section of the ejaculatory duct.
The penis papilla is a short and broad cone, oriented parallel to the body surface. It is lined with a flat, nucleate epithelium which is underlain with a thick, subepithelial, layer of circular muscle fibres and a very thin layer of longitudinal muscles. The penis papilla occupies almost the entire male atrium, the latter being lined with a nucleate and ciliated epithelium, and being surrounded by layers of circular and longitudinal muscles.
Female Reproductive System
The vitellaria extend from directly behind the brain into the hind end of the body and occupy the entire space between dorsal and ventral body surface.
The ovaries are situated at the level of the hind end of the pharyngeal cavity, or slightly caudally to the latter. The ovaries lie medially to the ventral nerve cords and have a short, tube-shaped germ centre at their antero-median surface. The oviducts arise from the posterior surface of the ovaries, giving off one caudally running branch and one that runs anteriad as far as the brain. The anteriorly directed branches run dorso-laterally to the ventral nerve cords, whereas the caudal oviducal branches run dorsally to the cords. Behind the gonopore the oviducal branches curve medially to open separately into the somewhat expanded distal section of the female genital duct, which is lined with a nucleate and ciliated epithelium. From the point of communication with the oviducts the female genital duct curves antero-dorsad and, subsequently, opens into the posterior end of the male atrium. The proximal part of the female genital duct receives the openings of abundant shell glands.
Eyes
The eyes are devoid of a lens; the number of retinal cells in each pigment cup could not be established in the material examined.
Ecology
The type specimen was collected from among algae in the upper littoral zone at Ubatuba near Sao Paulo. A second specimen was collected at Aglaja (most likely Brazil, but location unknown).
Distribution
Type locality: Ubatuba, northeastern coast of Sao Paulo, Brazil. A second specimen was collected at Aglaja (most likely Brazil, but location unknown).
Material Examined and Type Material
Type: S.M.N.H.: Ubatuba, northeastern coast of Sao Paulo, Brazil, December 1954, sagittal sections on 1 slide.
Further material: whole mount of one specimen collected at Aglaja.