Geoplaninae is a subfamily of
land planarians endemic to the
Neotropical region.
Members of this family are sometimes referred to as the Neotropical land planarians. However, one species, ''
Obama nungara'' has been introduced in
Europe
Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...
.
Description
The subfamily Geoplaninae was initially defined by
Ogren and Kawakatsu (1990)
[Ogren, R. E. and Kawakatsu, M. (1990). ''Index to the species of the family Geoplanidae (Turbellaria, Tricladida, Terricola) Part I: Geoplaninae.'' Bulletin of Fujis Women's College. 29: 79-166.] for land planarians which have a broad
creeping sole, mouth in the second half of the body, dorsal testes, subepithelial longitudinal musculature well developed and parenchymal longitudinal musculature absent or not well developed. The eyes contour the anterior region in a single row and posteriorly form several rows, which may spread onto the dorsum, and extend to the posterior end of the body. However, most, if not all, of these characteristics are not exclusive and cannot be considered a
synapomorphy
In phylogenetics, an apomorphy (or derived trait) is a novel Phenotypic trait, character or character state that has evolution, evolved from its ancestral form (or Plesiomorphy and symplesiomorphy, plesiomorphy). A synapomorphy is an apomorphy sh ...
of the group. Some characteristics have also been reverted in some genera.
Nevertheless, phylogenetic studies have revealed that Geoplaninae is indeed a monophyletic group.
Genera
Currently the land planarians in the subfamily Geoplaninae are grouped into 9 tribes and 36 genera:
Adinoplanini
*''
Adinoplana''
Geoplanini
*''
Amaga''
*''
Anophthalmoplana''
*''
Barreirana''
*''
Cephaloflexa''
*''
Choeradoplana''
*''
Cratera''
*''
Difroehlichia''
*''
Geobia''
*''
Geoplana
''Geoplana'' is a genus of land planarians from South America.
Taxonomic history
The genus ''Geoplana'' was erected in 1857 by William Stimpson and included most land planarians with several eyes distributed along the body.Stimpson, W. (1857). ...
''
*''
Gigantea''
*''
Imbira''
*''
Issoca''
*''
Luteostriata''
*''
Matuxia''
*''
Notogynaphallia''
*''
Obama''
*''
Paraparaba''
*''
Pasipha''
*''
Piima''
*''
Pseudogeoplana''
*''
Supramontana''
*''
Transandiplana''
*''
Winsoria''
*''
Xerapoa''
Gusanini
*''
Gusana''
Haranini
*''
Harana''
Inakayaliini
*''
Inakayalia''
Myoplanini
*''
Myoplana''
Polycladini
*''
Polycladus''
Sarcoplanini
*''
Liana
A liana is a long-Plant stem, stemmed Woody plant, woody vine that is rooted in the soil at ground level and uses trees, as well as other means of vertical support, to climb up to the Canopy (biology), canopy in search of direct sunlight. T ...
''
*''
Mapuplana''
*''
Pichidamas''
*''
Sarcoplana''
*''
Wallmapuplana''
Timymini
*''
Timyma''
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q10288921
Geoplanidae
Platyhelminthes families