''Imbira'' 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
land planarian
Geoplanidae is a family of flatworms known commonly as land planarians or land flatworms.
These flatworms are mainly predators of other invertebrates, which they hunt, attack and capture using physical force and the adhesive and digestive proper ...
s found in South America.
Description
The genus ''Imibira'' is characterized by having a large, slender and flat body with parallel margins, reaching up to 14 cm in length. The eyes are arranged along the body margins, not occupying the dorsum. In comparison to other genera, the body has an additional layer of longitudinal muscles dorsally and ventrally to the intestine. The
copulatory apparatus lacks a permanent penis, i. e., the penis is formed during copulation by folds in the male cavity. The female cavity is rounded and filled with a multilayered
epithelium
Epithelium or epithelial tissue is a thin, continuous, protective layer of cells with little extracellular matrix. An example is the epidermis, the outermost layer of the skin. Epithelial ( mesothelial) tissues line the outer surfaces of man ...
.
Etymology
''Imbira'' is a word in the
Tupi language
Old Tupi, Ancient Tupi or Classical Tupi () is a classical Tupian language which was spoken by the indigenous Tupi people of Brazil, mostly those who inhabited coastal regions in South and Southeast Brazil. In the words of Brazilian tupinol ...
that refers to a strip of bark peeled off from certain trees.
Species
There are four species assigned to the genus ''Imbira'':
*''
Imbira flavonigra''
Amaral & Leal-Zanchet, 2018
*''
Imbira guaiana''
(Leal-Zanchet & Carbayo, 2001)
*''
Imbira marcusi''
Carbayo et al., 2013
*''
Imbira negrita''
Negrete & Brusa, 2017
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q18351107
Geoplanidae
Rhabditophora genera