Taxonomic revision of the land planarians of Geoplana (Platyhelminthes, Tricladida)

• Grant number: 14/13661-8
• Support type: Regular Research Grants
• Duration: October 01, 2014 - September 30, 2016
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Zoology - Taxonomy of Recent Groups
• Principal researcher: Fernando Jesús Carbayo Baz
• Grantee: Fernando Jesús Carbayo Baz
• Home Institution: Escola de Artes, Ciências e Humanidades (EACH). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Assoc. researchers: Fernando Portella de Luna Marques

Abstract

Land planarians (Platyhelminthes) are ideal organisms as a model for studies on conservation biology. This is because of their ecological requirements and poor vagility. Members of Geoplaninae Stimpson, 1957 include approximately 270 species of neotropical land planarians. Geoplana Stimpson, 1857, the type genus, is currently composed of three nominal species plus a minimum of another three undescribed species. The type species of the genus, Geoplana vaginuloides (Darwin, 1844) is putatively polyphyletic. Thus, circumscription of this species is necessary to stabilize the taxonomy of the subfamily. Darwin sampled this species in Rio de Janeiro (estate of RJ); it is unknown where is the material he studied. This project will address a taxonomic review of the genus by using phenotypic and genotypic data. Analyses of the available type material of the species and that of other historically studied specimens by other authors will be conducted. Recently collected specimens of the known species and newly sampled specimens will also be studied. At least three undescribed species, already available in the collection will also be studied plus an equivalent number of species of other genera. Operational criteria for delimitation of the putative species will depend on evidence of monophyly supported by a cluster of diagnostic characters - preferrably from a morphological source. The analytical protocol consists of a cladistic analysis of haplotypes of the genus and search of genotypic and phenotypic features that enable diagnosis of the clades able to be correlated with the nominal and new species. Genotypic data will be extracted from the mitochondrial region of the gene of the cytochrome oxidase I and the nuclear gene of the elongation factor 1-alpha. Phenotypic data will be obtained from macroscopic (i.e., general morphological features and chromatic patterns) and microscopic (i.e., anatomical and histological aspects observed on histological serial sections under optic microscopy) study of the individuals. This work will provide the taxonomic foundation necessary to refine the systematics of the group and also will facilitate a better comprehension of this component of our biological diversity. (AU)

Scientific publications

(9)

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

FERNANDO CARBAYO; ODAIR MATARENSI JUNIOR; MARÍLIA JUCÁ. RELATIVE AND ABSOLUTE DENSITY ESTIMATES OF LAND PLANARIANS (PLATYHELMINTHES, TRICLADIDA) IN URBAN RAINFOREST PATCHES. Papéis Avulsos de Zoologia (São Paulo), v. 56, n. 3, p. 27-32, 2016-00-00. (14/13661-8)

CARBAYO, FERNANDO; ALVAREZ-PRESAS, MARTA; JONES, HUGH D.; RIUTORT, MARTA. The true identity of Obama (Platyhelminthes: Geoplanidae) flatworm spreading across Europe. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, v. 177, n. 1, p. 5-28, MAY 2016. (14/13661-8, 14/50961-0)

AMANDA CSEH; FERNANDO CARBAYO; EUDÓXIA MARIA FROEHLICH. Observations on food preference of Neotropical land planarians (Platyhelminthes), with emphasis on Obama anthropophila , and their phylogenetic diversification. Zoologia, v. 34, 2017-05-08. (14/13661-8)

ALVAREZ-PRESAS, MARTA; AMARAL, SILVANA V.; CARBAYO, FERNANDO; LEAL-ZANCHET, ANA M.; RIUTORT, MARTA. Focus on the details: morphological evidence supports new cryptic land flatworm (Platyhelminthes) species revealed with molecules. ORGANISMS DIVERSITY & EVOLUTION, v. 15, n. 2, p. 379-403, JUN 2015. (14/13661-8)

CARBAYO, FERNANDO; ALMEIDA, ANA LAURA. Anatomical deviation of male organs of land planarians from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with description of two new species of Cratera (Platyhelminthes, Tricladida). Zootaxa, v. 3931, n. 1, p. 27-40, MAR 11 2015. (14/13661-8)

ALMEIDA, ANA LAURA; MARQUES, FERNANDO P. L.; CARBAYO, FERNANDO. Endless forms most beautiful: taxonomic revision of the planarian Geoplana vaginuloides (Darwin, 1844) and discovery of numerous congeners (Platyhelminthes: Tricladida). ZOOLOGICAL JOURNAL OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY, v. 185, n. 1, p. 1-65, JAN 2019. (14/16585-0, 14/13661-8)

CSEH, AMANDA; CARBAYO, FERNANDO; FROEHLICH, EUDOXIA MARIA. Observations on food preference of Neotropical land planarians (Platyhelminthes), with emphasis on Obama anthropophila, and their phylogenetic diversification. Zoologia, v. 34, 2017. (14/13661-8)

CARBAYO, FERNANDO; FRANCOY, TIAGO M.; GIRIBET, GONZALO. Non-destructive imaging to describe a new species of Obama land planarian (Platyhelminthes, Tricladida). ZOOLOGICA SCRIPTA, v. 45, n. 5, p. 566-578, SEP 2016. (14/13661-8)

CARBAYO, FERNANDO; LENIHAN, JENNIFER WINIFRED. Micro-computed tomography scan and virtual histological slide data for the land planarian Obama otavioi (Platyhelminthes). GIGASCIENCE, v. 5, MAR 16 2016. (14/13661-8)