Pensoft Zoosystematics and Evolution
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Microturbellarians are microscopic, mostly free-living flatworms that are distributed in marine meiofaunal communities around the globe.
Microturbellarians inhabit various types of interstitial substrates (e.g. algae and sediments) in intertidal and subtidal habitats and have been recorded at depths of up to 600 meters.
Our understanding of the diversity and distribution of marine microturbellarians is largely limited to regions where specialized research on these animals has been conducted, including coastal areas in Europe, Brazil, Cuba or Canada.
Ecological estimates indicate the presence of about 200 species in Cuba and about 400 species on the island of Sylt (northern Germany, North Sea), but even in some of these well-studied areas, the diversity of marine microturbellarians may be significantly higher.
The turbellarians are 1500-1800 μm long, transparent and have two eyes.
The impact of these mini-turbellarians on other marine life is currently unknown
Etymology : The species epithet “sagamianus” refers to the type locality, which is located in Sagami Bay.
Literature reference:
Tsuyuki A, Reyes J, Oya Y, Wakeman KC, Leander BS, Van Steenkiste NWL (2024) Marine microturbellarians from Japan, with descriptions of two new species of Reinhardorhynchus (Platyhelminthes, Rhabdocoela, Koinocystididae). Zoosystematics and Evolution 100(3): 877-895. https://doi.org/10.3897/zse.100.120244
Microturbellarians inhabit various types of interstitial substrates (e.g. algae and sediments) in intertidal and subtidal habitats and have been recorded at depths of up to 600 meters.
Our understanding of the diversity and distribution of marine microturbellarians is largely limited to regions where specialized research on these animals has been conducted, including coastal areas in Europe, Brazil, Cuba or Canada.
Ecological estimates indicate the presence of about 200 species in Cuba and about 400 species on the island of Sylt (northern Germany, North Sea), but even in some of these well-studied areas, the diversity of marine microturbellarians may be significantly higher.
The turbellarians are 1500-1800 μm long, transparent and have two eyes.
The impact of these mini-turbellarians on other marine life is currently unknown
Etymology : The species epithet “sagamianus” refers to the type locality, which is located in Sagami Bay.
Literature reference:
Tsuyuki A, Reyes J, Oya Y, Wakeman KC, Leander BS, Van Steenkiste NWL (2024) Marine microturbellarians from Japan, with descriptions of two new species of Reinhardorhynchus (Platyhelminthes, Rhabdocoela, Koinocystididae). Zoosystematics and Evolution 100(3): 877-895. https://doi.org/10.3897/zse.100.120244
