Othelosoma_hepaticarum
Othelosoma hepaticarum
Species of planarian
Othelosoma hepaticarum, the toffee flatworm, is a species of land planarian in the family Microplaninae endemic to South Africa.[1]
| Othelosoma hepaticarum | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Platyhelminthes |
| Order: | Tricladida |
| Family: | Geoplanidae |
| Genus: | Othelosoma |
| Species: | O. hepaticarum |
| Binomial name | |
| Othelosoma hepaticarum (Jameson, 1907) | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Othelosoma hepaticarum generally is around 35–40 mm long and 3 mm wide. The dorsal side is a dark brown color, and the ventral side can vary from a light, fawn-like color to an unpigmented white. On the dorsal side there is a light brown or fawn midline; the pigment on the rest of the dorsal surface is slightly darker as it approaches the line's edge.[2][3]
Othelosoma hepaticarum is endemic to South Africa. The type specimens were found in the Kwazulu-Natal province, in damp earth under liverworts and stones;[2] observations have additionally been made in other areas of the country such as within the Gauteng and Western Cape provinces.[4]
- "WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species - Othelosoma hepaticarum (Jameson, 1907)". www.marinespecies.org. Retrieved 2023-06-29.
- Jameson, H. L. (1907). Some Natal Land Planarians. Add. pap. Brit. and South Afr. Ass. Rep., Vol III, pp. 27-39, t. 1-3, London, 1907.
- H. D. Jones (2004) A new species of land planarian (Platyhelminthes: Tricladida: Terricola: Rhynchodemidae) from South Africa, with a list of African terrestrial planarian species. African Zoology, 39:1, 31-40, doi:10.1080/15627020.2004.11407283.
- "Toffee Flatworm (Othelosoma hepaticarum)". iNaturalist. Retrieved 2023-06-29.
