Abstract
This work reports the occurrence of Thysanozoon brocchii from the rocky intertidal coast of Ratnagiri and Dwarka, the West Coast of India, for the first time. Two morphotypes were found, the first morph has a buff brownish papillate dorsal surface, with few specimens having white spots. The second morph has light coloured papillae which form a distinct cross marking along the dorsal surface. The species possesses double male copulatory apparatus with seminal vesicle, prostatic vesicle and sclerotized stylet. This cosmopolitan species has previously been recorded from Italy and Mediterranean, Japan, South and West Africa, Florida, New Zealand, Brazil, and United Kingdom. Synonymized species and older descriptions have been compared to examine similarities and dissimilarities. Considering the existence of varied colour morphs of this species, a detailed comparative analysis of morphological characters, reproductive histology and molecular framework is recommended.
Highlights
Polyclad flatworms are free living members of the phylum Platyhelminthes
Members of the family Pseudocerotidae are peculiar for their brilliant colour patterns
Colour variation is commonly seen forming species complex in their systematics. Perhaps such complexities arising in the taxonomy of these worms can be resolved by careful observations of external as well as reproductive anatomical features
Summary
Polyclad flatworms are free living members of the phylum Platyhelminthes These coral reef and rocky shore inhabitants are more diverse in the tropical environment (Prudhoe, 1985). Colour variation is commonly seen forming species complex in their systematics Perhaps such complexities arising in the taxonomy of these worms can be resolved by careful observations of external as well as reproductive anatomical features. Type species of the genus was Thysanozoon diesingii, which has later been synonymized for T. brocchii. This genus includes about 23 species worldwide (Tyler, 2013). Laidlaw (1902) reported Thysanozoon plehni from the Laccadive Island of India This species has been reviewed and assigned to Acanthozoon plehni. Apart from external morphology and reproductive anatomy, the study encompassed the review of characteristic features of some of the synonyms and a few previous descriptions, and their comparisons with the two different morphs presented
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