Free-living Microturbellarians (Platyhelminthes) from Wetlands in Southern Brazil, with the Description of Three New Species
Jhoe Reyes
Programa de Pós-graduação em Biologia de Ambientes Aquáticos Continentais (PPGBAC/FURG), Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande, RS, Brazil
Universidade Federal do Rio Grande, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Laboratório de Biologia de Parasitos de Organismos Aquáticos, Av. Itália km 8, Rio Grande, RS 96203-900, Brazil.
Daniela Binow
Universidade Federal do Rio Grande, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Laboratório de Biologia de Parasitos de Organismos Aquáticos, Av. Itália km 8, Rio Grande, RS 96203-900, Brazil.
Rogério T. Vianna
Programa de Pós-graduação em Biologia de Ambientes Aquáticos Continentais (PPGBAC/FURG), Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande, RS, Brazil
Universidade Federal do Rio Grande, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Laboratório de Biologia de Parasitos de Organismos Aquáticos, Av. Itália km 8, Rio Grande, RS 96203-900, Brazil.
Francisco Brusa
División Zoología Invertebrados, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Boulevard 120 & 61, La Plata, Argentina
Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Argentina
Samantha E. Martins
Programa de Pós-graduação em Biologia de Ambientes Aquáticos Continentais (PPGBAC/FURG), Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande, RS, Brazil
Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA), Ecotoxicology and Risk Assessment Section, Gaustadalléen 21, 0349, Oslo, Norway.
Communicated by Benny Kwok Kan Chan
The Taim strict nature reserve (ESEC Taim) is a protected wetland (Ramsar site) in southern Brazil. Although the ESEC Taim harbours a broad conspicuous flora and fauna, this area lacks studies on free-living Platyhelminthes. Here, we describe three new species to science, one belonging to Macrostomorpha (Macrostomum itai n. sp.) and two belonging to Dalytyphloplanoida (Gieysztoria duopunctata n. sp. and G. hermes n. sp.). Macrostomum itai n. sp. differs from their congeners for its distinct stylet in “J”-shaped. Gieysztoria duopunctata n. sp. is distinguishable based on the crown-like penis stylet, this species possesses 12–18 spines of similar sizes and two smaller spines (one a bit longer than the other). Gieysztoria hermes n. sp. clearly differs from its congeners owing to its fibrous girdle, which bears two groups of complexes of spines and three different-in-length ventral spines. Moreover, we identified twentythree species, eleven belonging to Catenulida, three to Macrostomorpha, seven to Dalytyphloplanoida, one to Kalyptorhynchia, and one to Prorhynchida. We recorded three species for the first time in Brazil (Myostenostomum vanderlandi, Macrostomum quiritium and Strongylostoma elongatum). This new information on these free-living Platyhelminthes makes this protected area a more valuable and reinforces the actions that are being done to protect it.
