Abstract

DAMBORENEA, Cristina  and  BRUSA, Francisco. A new species of Temnocephala (Platyhelminthes, Temnocephalida) commensal of Pomella megastoma (Mollusca, Ampullariidae) from Misiones, Argentina. Rev. Mex. Biodiv. [online]. 2008, vol.79, suppl., pp.1-7. ISSN 2007-8706.

Temnocephala lamothei n. sp., a commensal of Pomella megastoma (Sowerby, 1825), is described herein from specimens collected at Arroyo Yabotí-Miní (Misiones province, Argentina). Juveniles and adults were removed from the mantle cavity by host relaxation. Distinctive characters of the new species are: non-partitioned intestine; conical cirrus with 1 face flat and another concave; distal area with spines, as evidenced by a strong, oblique sclerotized ring, and 2 rows of long spines, an internal one with long spines arising from base of introvert and an external one arising from distal end of the introvert. The closest species are T. iheringi, T. rochensis and T. haswelli, which are also commensals of mollusc species. The presence of this new species of Temnocephala, and its similarity to the other species that are commensals of molluscan species, suggest the existence of a morphologically homogeneous group.

Keywords : Turbellaria; commensal; Neotropical region; taxonomy; South America.

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