Convolutriloba hastifera
| Convolutriloba hastifera | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Xenacoelomorpha |
| Order: | Acoela |
| Family: | Convolutidae |
| Genus: | Convolutriloba |
| Species: | C. hastifera
|
| Binomial name | |
| Convolutriloba hastifera (Winsor, 1990)
| |
Convolutriloba hastifera is a species of acoel.[1] It is known from Australia, being originally collected off of Magnetic Island, and is the only species of Convolutriloba to be described from its natural habitat.[2][3]
C. hastifera reproduces by transversal fission.[2]
Description
C. hastifera are usually about 3 mm long and 1.5 mm wide.[3] It is a translucent greenish-yellow to greenish-brown in colour, flattened, broad and rounded anteriorly. The colouring is a result of symbiotic algae. The mid third of the body is slightly narrowed; before forming three lobes. The middle lobe is slightly elevated.[3]
Two elliptic eyes, 19 μm by 34 μm, are present in the anterior regions, with reddish-brown granules. The cerebral ganglion is bilobed and sunken, and there is no statocyst-statolith present.[3]
The mouth is positioned on the anterior half of the body, and ingested amphipods were found in a live specimen.[3]
Etymology
The species epithet, "hastifera", is derived from the Latin words hasta - a spear, and ferens - bearing. This refers to the prominent anterior batteries of the sagittocysts present in C. hastifera.[3]
References
- ^ "Convolutriloba hastifera Winsor, 1990". WoRMS.
- ^ a b Shannon, Thomas; Achatz, Johannes G. (2007). "Convolutriloba macropyga sp. nov., an uncommonly fecund acoel (Acoelomorpha) discovered in tropical aquaria" (PDF). Zootaxa. 1525: 1–17. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.1525.1.1. ISSN 1175-5326.
- ^ a b c d e f Winsor, Leigh (January 1990). "Marine Turbellaria (Acoela) from North Queensland". Memoirs of the Queensland Museum. 28: 790–794.