Belg. J. Zoo!. - Volume 128 (1998) - issue 1 - pages 55-92 - Brussels 1998 Received: 18 February 1998 NEW AND KNOWN NEMERTODERMATIDA (PLATYHELMINTHES-ACOELOMORPHA)... -A REVISION - WOLFGANG STERRER Bermuda Natural History Museum, Flatts FLBX, Bermuda e-mail
[email protected] Abstract. Described in 1930-31 by Steinbiick who considered it the most primitive bilaterian, the turbellarian genus Nemertoderma is known for its rote in platyhelminth phylogeny as much as for its muddled taxonomy. On the basis of material collected in the Mediterranean, Atlantic and Pacifie Oceans sin ce 1964 this paper re-diagnoses the known 4 genera and 7 species (Nemertoderma bathycola Steinbiick, 1930-31 ; N. westbladi Steinbiick, 1938; N. psammicola Sterrer, 1970 (syn. N. rubra Faubel, 1976); Meara stichopi Westblad, 1949; Meara sp. (see SMITH et al., 1994); Nemertinoides elongatus Riser, 1987 ; and Flagellophora apelti Fau bel & Diirjes, 1978), describes one new genus with 2 new species (Ascoparia neglecta n. g., n. sp. and A. secunda n. sp.), and pro vides observations from living material on morphological variability, body size vs . reproductive state, statocyst structure and statolith variability, and sperm morphology and dimorphism. The paper concludes with diagnoses for the known taxa of Nemertodermatida, including the new family Ascopariidae. Key words: Platyhelminthes, free-living, marine; systematics, new species. INTRODUCTION ln 1930-31 Otto STEfNBOCK described Nemertoderma bathycola from a single tiny worm whicb he and Erich Reisinger bad dredged from a muddy bottom, at 300-400 rn depth, off Greenland. Nemertoderma caused a small sensation, not only because Steinbock, a meticulous observer, was also an assertive character (who liked to express himself double-spaced, with exclamation marks added) but because Nemertoderma was indeed unusual.