African planarians: Morphology and karyology of Dugesia maghrebiana sp. n. (Platyhelminthes, Tricladida) from Tunisia

Abstract

Extensive surveys were made of Tunisian freshwaters, yielding freshwater planarians at only one locality in southeastern Tunisia, representing a new species. Dugesia maghrebiana sp. n. is characterized by the presence of the following features: ventral course of the ejaculatory duct, terminal opening of the ejaculatory duct, double diaphragm, symmetrical openings of the oviducts into the bursal canal, and by a typical condition of mixoploidy with a double aneuploidic chromosome complement. The taxonomic position of the new species is discussed in relation to other African and Mediterranean species.