Abstract
Seven specimens of Rhynchodemus sylvaticus (Leidy) collected from a variety of localities in the US and having variously developed copulatory organs are believed to represent stages in the development of the copulatory apparatus. Four specimens were juveniles with under-developed male components, one specimen had a well-developed female atrium and small male component, and two specimens were mature with a male organ twice the size of the female part. In early stages, the male component had sperm ducts, seminal vesicle, and narrow atrium; more mature stages had a considerable elongated atrium with thick folds in its muscula- rized wall, a massive muscular bulbus; and a sigmoid ejaculatory duct opening into the large bulbar cavity. Morphological features of mature male copulatory organs in all species of the genus Rhynchodemus are basically similar whereas external body features (color and number of dorsal stripes) of these same species differ.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Ball, I. & Reynoldson, T. B., 1981. British Planarians, Synopsis of British Fauna No. 19, Cambridge University Press, London, 141 pp.
de Beauchamp, P. M., 1912 (1913). Planaires de Bromeliacees de Costa Rica (2 note). Arch. Zool. exp. gen., 51 (Notes et Revue no 2): 41–52.
de Beauchamp, 1930. Triclades Terricoles. Arch. Hydrobiol. Suppl. 8: 72–91.
du Bois-Reymond Marcus, E., 1955. On Turbellaria and Poly-gordius from the Brazilian coast. Bol. Fac. fil. Cien. Letr., Zool. 20: 19–65.
Heinzel, L., 1929. Zur Kenntnis der Rhynchodemiden. Zool. Jb. Syst. Ökol. Geogr. Tiere 56: 425–462.
Hyman, L. H., 1939. Land planarians from Hawaiian Islands. Arch. Zool. exp. gen. 80: (Notes et Revue, No. 3): 116–124.
Hyman, L. H., 1943. Endemic and exotic land planarians in the United States with a discussion of necessary changes in the Rhynchodemidae. Am. Mus. Novitates 1241: 1–21.
Hyman, L. H., 1954. Some land planarians of the United States and Europe, with remarks on nomenclature. Am. Mus. Novitates 1667: 1–21.
Kaburaki, T., 1922. On the terrestrial planarians from Japanese territories. J. Coll. Sci. imp. Univ. Tokyo 44: 1–54.
Leidy, J., 1851. Corrections and additions to former papers on helminthology published in the proceedings of the academy. Proc. Acad. nat. Sci., Philad. 5: 289.
Marcus, E., 1952. Turbellaria Brasileiros (10). Bol. Fac. Fil. Cien. Letr., Zool. 17: 5–187.
Marcus, E., 1953. Turbellaria Tricladida. In Exploration du Parc National de l’Umpemba, Mission de Witte, Brussels, Institute des Parcs nationaux du Congo Beige, Fasc. 21, 62 pp.
Ogren, R. E., 1955. Ecological observations on the occurrence of Rhynchodemus, a terrestrial turbellarian. Trans, am. microsc. Soc. 74: 54–60.
Ogren, R. E., 1957. Developmental observations, the egg capsule and sexual maturity of the land planarian Rhynchodemus sylvaticus. Trans, am. microsc. Soc. 76: 45–52.
Ogren, R. E., 1981. Land planarians in Pennsylvania. Proc. Pa Acad. Sci. 55: 52–56.
Ogren, R. E., 1983. Reproductive complex and sexual maturity of the land planarian Rhynchodemus sylvaticus (Leidy) in the United States. Proc. Pa Acad. Sci. 57: 69–73.
Prudhoe, S., 1949a. Some roundworms and flatworms from the West Indes and Surinam. IV. Land planarians. J. linn. Soc, Zool. 41: 420–433.
Prudhoe, S., 1949b. Some land planarians from the Marquesas Islands. Occ. Pap. Bernice P. Bishop Mus. 19(13): 247–255.
von Graff, L., 1896. Ueber die Morphologie des Geschlechtsap-parates der Landplanarien. Verh. dt zool. Ges. 6: 75–93.
von Graff, 1899. Monographie der Turbellarien. II. Tricladida Terricola. Vol. I, Leipzig.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 1986 Dr W. Junk Publishers, Dordrecht
About this paper
Cite this paper
Ogren, R.E. (1986). Development of the reproductive apparatus of the land planarian Rhynchodemus sylvaticus (Turbellaria: Tricladida) and its significance for classification in the genus. In: Tyler, S. (eds) Advances in the Biology of Turbellarians and Related Platyhelminthes. Developments in Hydrobiology, vol 32. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-4810-5_24
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-4810-5_24
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-94-010-8632-5
Online ISBN: 978-94-009-4810-5
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive