Australoplana

Australoplana also known as Australian flatworm is a genus of land planarians from Australia and New Zealand.

Australoplana
Australoplana sanguinea
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Platyhelminthes
Class:
Rhabditophora
Order:
Tricladida
Suborder:
Continenticola
Family:
Geoplanidae
Subfamily:
Rhynchodeminae
Tribe:
Caenoplanini
Genus:
Australoplana

Winsor, 1991
Type species
Caenoplana sanguinea
Moseley, 1877

Description

The genus Australoplana is characterized by having an elongate, strap-like body that is broadly convex dorsally and flat ventrally. The creeping sole occupies less than 25% of the body with. The eyes are absent or minute and arranged along the body margins in a single row from the anterior to the posterior end. The parenchymal longitudinal musculature is very weak or absent. The copulatory apparatus has an intra-antral penis papilla in some species and the ovovitelline ducts enter the female atrium ventrally.[1]

Invasive species

Australoplana sanguinea is an invasive alien species in England and Wales where it predates on earthworms. [2]

Etymology

The name Australoplana comes from Latin australis, southern + plana, flat.[1]

Species

The genus Australoplana includes the following species:

  • Australoplana minor (Dendy, 1892)
  • Australoplana rubicunda (Fletcher & Hamilton, 1888)
  • Australoplana sanguinea (Moseley, 1877)
  • Australoplana typhlops (Dendy, 1894)

References
  1. Winsor, L. (1991). "A provisional classification of Australian terrestrial geoplanid flatworms (Tricladida: Terricola: Geoplanidae)". Victorian Naturalist. 109 (2): 42–49.
  2. "Australian, New Zealand and other flatworms". Royal Horticultural Society. 2020. Retrieved 3 February 2020.
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