Two new Pseudoceros (Platyhelminthes: Polycladida: Pseudocerotidae) from Agatti Island, India and a species checklist from Indian waters
Dixit, S.; Manjebrayakath, H.; Saravanane, N. (2021). Two new Pseudoceros (Platyhelminthes: Polycladida: Pseudocerotidae) from Agatti Island, India and a species checklist from Indian waters. J. Mar. Biol. Ass. U.K. 101(2): 253-263. https://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0025315421000151
In: Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom. Cambridge University Press/Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom: Cambridge. ISSN 0025-3154; e-ISSN 1469-7769, more
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| Keywords |
Taxa > Species > New taxa > New species
Cotylea [WoRMS]; Pseudoceros Lang, 1884 [WoRMS]; Rhabditophora [WoRMS]
Marine/Coastal |
| Author keywords |
Cotylea; Indian Ocean; marine flatworm; novel species; Rhabditophora; taxonomy |
| Authors | | Top |
- Dixit, S.
- Manjebrayakath, H.
- Saravanane, N.
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| Abstract |
The Lakshadweep archipelago constitutes a major coral region of India but still lacks sufficient biodiversity data owing to its remoteness and a low number of faunal studies in the past. The present paper describes two new Pseudoceros species collected from Agatti Island, Lakshadweep, India. Pseudoceros bipurpurea sp. nov. and Pseudoceros galaxea sp. nov. are described based on external and internal characters, supported with histological studies and photographs. Pseudoceros bipurpurea sp. nov. is characterized by a cream background colour and an orange median line surrounded by dense patches of purple spots, which tend to disperse and broaden towards the posterior end. Pseudoceros galaxea sp. nov. displays a brown background colour with numerous white to cream dots covering almost the entire dorsal surface and a thin black margin. This study adds two new species to the polyclad fauna in Indian waters, raising the count to 68 species. An updated checklist of polyclads from Indian coast is also provided. |
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