Anocellidae
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''Anocellidus'' is a genus of
flatworms Platyhelminthes (from the Greek πλατύ, ''platy'', meaning "flat" and ἕλμινς (root: ἑλμινθ-), ''helminth-'', meaning "worm") is a phylum of relatively simple bilaterian, unsegmented, soft-bodied invertebrates commonly called ...
belonging to the order
Polycladida The Polycladida represents a highly diverse clade of free-living marine flatworms. They are known from the littoral to the sublittoral zone (extending to the deep hot vents), and many species are common from coral reefs. Only a few species are fo ...
. It is the only genus in the
monotypic In biology, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group (taxon) that contains only one immediately subordinate taxon. A monotypic species is one that does not include subspecies or smaller, infraspecific taxa. In the case of genera, the term "unisp ...
family Anocellidae and is represented by the single species ''Anocellidus profundus''.


Description

''Anocellidus'' as a genus is distinguished from other acotylean flatworms by the lack of a true prostatic vesicle, and the fact that the male copulatory apparatus is located posterior to the male gonopore and is directed anteriorly; it is additionally distinguished via a ruffled
pharynx The pharynx (: pharynges) is the part of the throat behind the human mouth, mouth and nasal cavity, and above the esophagus and trachea (the tubes going down to the stomach and the lungs respectively). It is found in vertebrates and invertebrates ...
located anteriorly with long, pointed tentacles, separate gonopores, a backwards-directed, long, pointed stylet, and the presence of spermiducal bulbs rather than a true seminal vesicle. ''A. profundus'' is whitish in color; however, the
testes A testicle or testis ( testes) is the gonad in all male bilaterians, including humans, and is homologous to the ovary in females. Its primary functions are the production of sperm and the secretion of androgens, primarily testosterone. The ...
and
ovaries The ovary () is a gonad in the female reproductive system that produces ova; when released, an ovum travels through the fallopian tube/oviduct into the uterus. There is an ovary on the left and the right side of the body. The ovaries are endocr ...
are visible across the
epidermis The epidermis is the outermost of the three layers that comprise the skin, the inner layers being the dermis and Subcutaneous tissue, hypodermis. The epidermal layer provides a barrier to infection from environmental pathogens and regulates the ...
as numerous brown dots. They can reach around 13 mm in length. There are well-developed nuchal tentacles. The species completely lacks eyes.


Etymology

The generic name is derived from the
Latin Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...
roots ''an-'' and ''ocell'', literally meaning "without little eyes", in reference to the genus' lack of any eyes. The specific epithet is derived from the Latin ''profundus'', "deep", in reference to the depth that the species is found, at depths of around 3000 meters below sea level.


References

Rhabditophora {{Flatworm-stub