Abstract
In a fauna survey in the eastern margin of Serra do Espinhaço Plateau, in an area belonging to the Brazilian savanna (Cerrado phytophysiognomy), a land flatworm was sampled in a ferruginous cave. Anatomical and histological analyses indicated that it belongs to a new species of the genus Pasipha, which is herein described. The new species shows an almost homogenous dark brown dorsal pigmentation, eyes spreading over the dorsal surface, a collar-shaped pharynx, and a prostatic vesicle with two portions separated by a canal. It differs from similar species mainly by anatomical and histological details of the ejaculatory duct, as well as male and female atria. The flatworm shows no troglomorphic traits and was collected once in the entrance zone of the cave. Hence, despite representing the first land flatworm species described from a Neotropical cave, we consider that its occurrence in the cave is probably occasional, using it as a shelter.
Highlights
The genus Pasipha Ogren & Kawakatsu, 1990 encompasses 25 species, most of them known from southeast and southern Brazil (Carbayo et al 2013; Leal-Zanchet et al 2012; Amaral and Leal-Zanchet 2016; Negrete and Brusa 2016, 2017; Amaral et al 2018)
With eyes spreading over the dorsal surface of the body and a collar-shaped pharynx, P. ferrariaphila resembles five other species of Pasipha, namely P. plana (Schirch, 1929), P. penhana (Riester, 1938), P. velutina (Riester, 1938), P. rosea
Concerning internal anatomy, four of these species, namely P. plana, P. penhana, P. velutina, and P. rosea, present a not-forked prostatic vesicle with two distinct regions separated by a constriction or canal
Summary
The genus Pasipha Ogren & Kawakatsu, 1990 encompasses 25 species, most of them known from southeast and southern Brazil (Carbayo et al 2013; Leal-Zanchet et al 2012; Amaral and Leal-Zanchet 2016; Negrete and Brusa 2016, 2017; Amaral et al 2018). Abbreviations used in the figures: cmc common muscle coat eg erythrophil secretion cov common glandular ovovitelline duct fa female atrium cs creeping sole fc female canal de dorsal epidermis go gonoduct di dorsal insertion of pharynx h parasitic helminths dm dorsal cutaneous musculature i intestine dpv distal portion of prostatic vesicle lu pharyngeal lumen e eyes ma male atrium ed ejaculatory duct mo mouth
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