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| ORDER : POLYCLADIDA |
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Sub order : ACOTYLEA |
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Super family :
Stylochoidea |
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Family : Callioplanidae |
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Family :
Planoceridae |
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Super family : Leptoplanoidea |
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Family : Cestoplanidae |
Super family : Stylochoidea Poche, 1926
Callioplanidae Hyman, 1953
- Stylochoidea with ruffled pharynx and mouth more or less in the centre of the body
- The family contains 12 genera, but Callioplana is the only genus treated here.
- The different genera are separated on details of their reproductive structure
Callioplana Stimpson, 1857
Ethymology :
- Calli = beautiful, plana = wanderer
Ventral characteristics :
- A large ruffled and usually centrally placed pharynx is present
- The male and female gonopores are separate ans located in the posterior region, behind the pharynx
- A Lang's vesicle is posterior to the female gonopore
Dorsal characteristics :
- These flatworms have an oval to rounded body with prominent non-retractile head (nuchal) tentacles
- The head tentacles carry numerous eyes and cerebral eyes are present as two clusters betweeen the head tentacles
Identification :
- Species identifications are based on details of the reproductive anatomy that can only be determined from microscopic examination of internal anatomy.
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Planoceridae Lang, 1884
- Stylochoidea with ruffled pharynx arranged centrally or somewhat anterior to the center of the body
- Planoceridae comprise about 6 genera, but Paraplanocera is the only genus treated here.
- Identification are based on details of the copulatory structures and the arrangement of the eye
Paraplanocera Laidlaw, 1903
Ethymology :
- Para = near, plana = wanderer, cera = horns
Ventral characteristics :
- The pharynx is ruffled and the mouth lies centrally
- The male and female gonopores are separate ans located in the posterior region, behind the pharynx
- A Lang's vesicle is posterior to the female gonopore
Dorsal characteristics :
- These flatworms have
an rounded to oval body. They have conspicuous head tentacles which are held erect over the brain region.
- Both tentacular and cerebral eyes are present
Identification :
- Species are identified by colour pattern and detail of the reproductive anatomy especially the arrangement of the cirrus spines
- Worms in this genus include some of the largest os the acotyleans, some up to 12 cm long |
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Super family : Leptoplanoidea Faubel, 1984
Cestoplanidae Lang, 1884
- Cestoplanidae have an extreme long and distinctly ribbon-like body without tentacles. The margin is hightly ruffled
- This family may be confused with the Cotylean family, Prothiostomidae, however, Cestoplanidae are usually much longer and, of course, lack a true sucker.
- According Newman (2003) probably only single genus is recognized
Cestoplana Lang, 1884
Ethymology :
- Cesto = girdle or belt for the shape of the worm, plana = wanderer
Ventral characteristics :
- The pharynx is ruffled and usually lies posteriorly, the mouth is central.
- The male and female gonopores are separate and posterior to the pharynx
Dorsal characteristics :
- Tentacles are absent
- They have numerous eyes along the anterior margin, but lack true cerebral or tentacular eyes.
Identification :
- Species are identified on the details of the reproductive structures only visible from serial sections and microscopic examination of the internal anatomy.
- When disrupted the animal tends to curl into a tangled ball. |
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Publications :
 Faubel, A. (1983). The Polycladida, Turbellaria. Proposal and establishment of a new system. Part I. The Acotylea . Mitteilungen aus dem Hamburgischen zoologischen Museum und Institut 80 : 17–121
Newman, L.J. & Cannon, L.R.G. (2003). Marine Flatworms: the world of Polyclads. CSIRO Publishing : Melbourne 112
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