Description

Figures 1 – 3 REDESCRIPTION: Holotype, body length 6.4 mm, maximal width 3.7 mm; dissected. Body muscular. Dorsal surface with transversal bands of light olive green on two annuli and dark olive green on the following three annuli, repeated along the length of the body (figs. 2, 3 A). Fifteen five-annulate midbody somites from X to XXIV; b 1 and b 6 diminutive falsely leading toward a triannulate appearance. Somites: I – III uniannulate, IV and V biannulate, VI biannulate with anterior annulus subdivided dorsally, VII triannulate with annulus b 6 subdivided ventrally, VIII quadrannulate, IX quadrannulate with annulus a 3 subdivided dorsally, X – XXIV five-annulate, XXV triannulate, XXVI biannulate, and XXVII uniannulate. Eyespots arranged dorsally in five pairs in a broad arch. Pair 1 anterior on somite III, remaining eyespots situated laterally on contiguous annuli of a pair on each annulus of somite IV and anterior annulus of somite V. Pairs 4 and 5 separated by one annulus (IVa 3; fig. 3 B). First two pairs of eyespots with pigment concentrated anterolaterally in eyespot, last three pairs with pigment concentrated posterolaterally in eyespot. Sensillae obvious in live condition, mostly obscure in preserved specimens. Nephropores 17 pairs on ventral surface situated bilaterally from somite VII to somite XXIII; in complete somites, just posterior to b 2 / a 2 furrow and 17 th pair in same position as others. Caudal sucker round, wider than the four most posterior somites without friction rays. Male gonopore at XI b 5 / b 6 in furrow, female gonopore at XII b 5 / b 6 in furrow, five annuli between gonopores. Jaws trignathous, monostichodont, no salivary papillae (fig. 3 D). Jaws moderate in size, low, rounded. Teeth located in shallow open grooves, eight teeth per jaw. Dorsal lip of oral sucker with medial longitudinal furrow and nine sensillae, which are more pronounced in some specimens (fig. 3 B). Oral velum absent. Pharynx short, terminating in somite VIII (fig. 3 D). Internal muscular ridges, six arranged in dorsomedial and ventrolateral pairs, each pair fusing at base of each jaw. Esophagus narrow, lumen wide, tubular, tapering posteriorly to junction with crop. Pharynx terminating in somite VIII followed by an acecate compartment, which reaches up to the middle of somite IX. Crop from somite IX to somite XX, first 10 pairs of crop ceca simple and equal size, postceca not foliaceous extending bilaterally posterior to somite XVI. Intestine tubular, acecate, joining rectum at somite XXIV (fig. 3 C). Rectum thin walled, tubular. Anus in furrow between last annulus and caudal sucker. Internal male and female reproductive organs micromorphic. Male atrium bulbous, not extended into elongated penis or sheath (fig. 3 E). Epididymis and ejaculatory bulbs absent. Vasa deferentia insert into dorsal median of male atrium. Vasa deferentia pass anterolaterally with two bends in an S-like shape before descending to testisacs. Vagina short. Common oviduct absent. Ovaries simple, bulbous. HABITAT: Terrestrial. Associated with moist surroundings, such as vegetation by streams (Oosthuizen, personal obs.).

Common Names

Taxonomic Hierarchy

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Annelida

Class: Clitellata

Order: Arhynchobdellida

Family: Praobdellidae

Genus: Parapraobdella

Species: Parapraobdella lineata (Sciacchitano, 1959)