Color Pattern Similarities Revealed: Two Pseudocerotids (Polycladida: Cotylea) from the Mexican Pacific with the Description of a New Species
Coloration patterns in polyclad flatworms of the Pseudocerotidae family are crucial for taxonomic identifications, often serving as key diagnostic character. In this study, we document two pseudocerotid species from the Mexican Pacific exhibiting remarkably similar coloration patterns yet belonging...
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| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2025-02-01
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| Series: | Taxonomy |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2673-6500/5/1/8 |
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| author | Adair A. G. Coria D. Marcela Bolaños Carolina Galván-Tirado Carlos Sánchez Sigmer Quiroga |
| author_facet | Adair A. G. Coria D. Marcela Bolaños Carolina Galván-Tirado Carlos Sánchez Sigmer Quiroga |
| author_sort | Adair A. G. Coria |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Coloration patterns in polyclad flatworms of the Pseudocerotidae family are crucial for taxonomic identifications, often serving as key diagnostic character. In this study, we document two pseudocerotid species from the Mexican Pacific exhibiting remarkably similar coloration patterns yet belonging to distinct genera. Through detailed morphological analysis of both external and internal characters, we describe a new species, <i>Pseudobiceros deliae</i> sp. nov. Coria, Bolaños and Quiroga, and report <i>Pseudoceros josei</i> as a new record for Baja California Sur, Revillagigedo Archipelago and Guerrero. Additionally, we provide 28S ribosomal DNA sequences to support future research efforts. Our findings demonstrate that species identification cannot rely solely on distinctive coloration patterns but rather requires a combination of traits, including other external morphological characteristics such as the number of male gonopores, the type of pharynx and the shape of pseudotentacles. Furthermore, we propose that <i>Pseudoceros bicuti</i> is a junior synonym of <i>Pseudoceros josei</i>. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-2580cfdcadd74da6be3eb263e73d7368 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2673-6500 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Taxonomy |
| spelling | doaj-art-2580cfdcadd74da6be3eb263e73d73682025-08-20T01:48:58ZengMDPI AGTaxonomy2673-65002025-02-0151810.3390/taxonomy5010008Color Pattern Similarities Revealed: Two Pseudocerotids (Polycladida: Cotylea) from the Mexican Pacific with the Description of a New SpeciesAdair A. G. Coria0D. Marcela Bolaños1Carolina Galván-Tirado2Carlos Sánchez3Sigmer Quiroga4Posgrado en Ciencias Marinas y Costeras, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California Sur, La Paz 23080, Baja California Sur, MexicoDepartment of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USAConsejo Nacional de Humanidades, Ciencias y Tecnologías (CONAHCYT), Universidad Autónoma de Baja California Sur, La Paz 23080, Baja California Sur, MexicoDepartamento Académico de Ciencias Marinas y Costeras, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California Sur, La Paz 23080, Baja California Sur, MexicoFacultad de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad del Magdalena, Santa Marta, ColombiaColoration patterns in polyclad flatworms of the Pseudocerotidae family are crucial for taxonomic identifications, often serving as key diagnostic character. In this study, we document two pseudocerotid species from the Mexican Pacific exhibiting remarkably similar coloration patterns yet belonging to distinct genera. Through detailed morphological analysis of both external and internal characters, we describe a new species, <i>Pseudobiceros deliae</i> sp. nov. Coria, Bolaños and Quiroga, and report <i>Pseudoceros josei</i> as a new record for Baja California Sur, Revillagigedo Archipelago and Guerrero. Additionally, we provide 28S ribosomal DNA sequences to support future research efforts. Our findings demonstrate that species identification cannot rely solely on distinctive coloration patterns but rather requires a combination of traits, including other external morphological characteristics such as the number of male gonopores, the type of pharynx and the shape of pseudotentacles. Furthermore, we propose that <i>Pseudoceros bicuti</i> is a junior synonym of <i>Pseudoceros josei</i>.https://www.mdpi.com/2673-6500/5/1/8Gulf of Californiamarine flatwormsOaxacaPlatyhelminthespolycladstaxonomy |
| spellingShingle | Adair A. G. Coria D. Marcela Bolaños Carolina Galván-Tirado Carlos Sánchez Sigmer Quiroga Color Pattern Similarities Revealed: Two Pseudocerotids (Polycladida: Cotylea) from the Mexican Pacific with the Description of a New Species Taxonomy Gulf of California marine flatworms Oaxaca Platyhelminthes polyclads taxonomy |
| title | Color Pattern Similarities Revealed: Two Pseudocerotids (Polycladida: Cotylea) from the Mexican Pacific with the Description of a New Species |
| title_full | Color Pattern Similarities Revealed: Two Pseudocerotids (Polycladida: Cotylea) from the Mexican Pacific with the Description of a New Species |
| title_fullStr | Color Pattern Similarities Revealed: Two Pseudocerotids (Polycladida: Cotylea) from the Mexican Pacific with the Description of a New Species |
| title_full_unstemmed | Color Pattern Similarities Revealed: Two Pseudocerotids (Polycladida: Cotylea) from the Mexican Pacific with the Description of a New Species |
| title_short | Color Pattern Similarities Revealed: Two Pseudocerotids (Polycladida: Cotylea) from the Mexican Pacific with the Description of a New Species |
| title_sort | color pattern similarities revealed two pseudocerotids polycladida cotylea from the mexican pacific with the description of a new species |
| topic | Gulf of California marine flatworms Oaxaca Platyhelminthes polyclads taxonomy |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2673-6500/5/1/8 |
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