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Eurylepta
Genus of flatworms From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Eurylepta is a genus of free-living marine flatworms (polyclads) in the family Euryleptidae.
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Characteristics
Eurylepta is a morphologically diverse[3] group of flatworms in the class Turbellaria that live freely in marine environments, as opposed to parasitic flatworms of other classes (Monogenea, Trematoda, Cestoda).[4] The genus was originally described as flat, with a discrete mouth and anus, eye clusters on the neck, two tentaculiform folds at the front, and a posterior ovary.[1] Eurylepta are hermaphroditic, possessing an armed penis with a tubular stylet.[5] Further characteristics include a forward-pointing pharynx, the mouth directly behind the brain, and a lack of digestive tract.[6] Not much of their feeding habits has been recorded, however, Eurylepta leoparda is a well-known predator of ascidians.[7][8]
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Taxonomy & Distribution
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Ehrenberg first described the genus Eurylepta along with two new species, E. praetexta and E. flavomarginata, which have since been moved to the Prostheceraeus and Pseudoceros genera respectively.[1] Ehrenberg and Hemprich observed the individuals among corals in the Red Sea, during their travels in Arabia. Since then, new species of Eurylepta have been described in off-shore marine environments globally. Georeferenced records and observations can be found in the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) and iNaturalist.
Below are the 18 accepted species under the genus Eurylepta, according to the World Register of Marine Species.
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References
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