''Cura'' is a
genus
Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...
of freshwater flatworm (triclads) belonging to the family
Dugesiidae
Dugesiidae is a family of freshwater planarians distributed worldwide (except Antarctica). The type genus is ''Dugesia
''Dugesia'' is a genus of freshwater planarians in the family Dugesiidae triclads and the type genus of this family. Thes ...
.
''Cura'' was ranked as a
subgenus
In biology, a subgenus ( subgenera) is a taxonomic rank directly below genus.
In the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, a subgeneric name can be used independently or included in a species name, in parentheses, placed between the ge ...
of ''
Dugesia
''Dugesia'' is a genus of freshwater planarians in the family Dugesiidae triclads and the type genus of this family. These common flatworms are found in freshwater habitats of Africa, Eurasia, and Australia. ''Dugesia'' is best known to non-spe ...
'' until 1974, then it was elevated to the genus rank.
Description
Individuals of this genus have a low triangle-shaped head.
[Ball IR: A contribution to the phylogeny and biogeography of the freshwater triclads (Platyhelminthes: Turbellaria). Biology of the Turbellaria (Edited by: Riser NW & Morse MP). New York: McGraw-Hill New York 1974, pp.339-401.]
Distribution
''Cura'' species present a
disjunct distribution
In biology, a taxon with a disjunct distribution is one that has two or more groups that are related but considerably separated from each other geographically. The causes are varied and might demonstrate either the expansion or contraction of a s ...
. ''
C. foremanii'' inhabits North America,
while ''
C. fortis'' is found in
New Zealand
New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...
,
[Sluys, R., Kawakatsu, M., 2001. Contribution to an inventory of the freshwater planarians of Australia and New Zealand (Platyhelminthes, Tricladida, Dugesiidae), with distribution maps of the species examined. Beaufortia/Bull Zool Mus Univ Amsterdam 51(10):163-198] and ''
C. pinguis'' in
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...
,
New Zealand
New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...
,
and
New Caledonia
New Caledonia ( ; ) is a group of islands in the southwest Pacific Ocean, southwest of Vanuatu and east of Australia. Located from Metropolitan France, it forms a Overseas France#Sui generis collectivity, ''sui generis'' collectivity of t ...
.
[Kawakatsu, M., 1969. Report on freshwater and land planarians from New Caledonia. Bull. Osaka Mus. Nat. Hist., 22: 1-14]
Phylogeny
Phylogenetic tree including five dugesiid genera after Álvarez-Presas et al., 2008:
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q5194594
Dugesiidae
Taxa named by Embrik Strand
Rhabditophora genera