Xerapoa

Xerapoa is a genus of land planarians from Brazil.

Xerapoa
Xerapoa hystrix
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Platyhelminthes
Order:	Tricladida
Family:	Geoplanidae
Subfamily:	Geoplaninae
Genus:	Xerapoa Froehlich, 1955
Type species
Xerapoa hystrix Froehlich, 1955
Synonyms
Enterosyringa Ogren & Kawakatsu, 1990 Xarapoa Froehlich, 1955 (original misspelling)

Description

The genus Xerapoa includes small-sized land planarians with subcylindrical body and anterior end raised. Usually the sensory pits of the anterior region open at the tip of small papillae. The ovaries are located more posteriorly in the body, close to the pharynx, when compared to other genera of the subfamily Geoplaninae, in which the ovaries are closer to the anterior end. The creeping sole is considerably thin, occupying about one third of the ventral side.^[1]

Etymology

The name Xerapoa comes from Tupi xerapoa (sharp-pointed), referring to the spiny aspect of the anterior end in species with sensorial papillae.

Species

The genus Xerapoa includes four described species:

• Xerapoa hystrix Froehlich, 1955
• Xerapoa pseudorhynchodemus (Riester, 1938)
• Xerapoa trina (Marcus, 1951)
• Xerapoa una Froehlich, 1955