Published August 19, 2025
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An integrative analysis and account of two new species of Dugesia (Platyhelminthes, Tricladida, Dugesiidae) from the Hengduan Mountains, southwest China, with reflections on the historical biogeography of Eastern Palearctic/Oriental lineages
Authors/Creators
- 1. Henan Normal University, Xinxiang, China
- 2. Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden, Netherlands
Description
Two new species of the genus Dugesia from southwest China are described using an integrative approach based on morphological, histological, and molecular data. Dugesia patula Chen & Dong, sp. nov. is characterized by the following features: symmetrical openings of the oviducts into the bursal canal; vasa deferentia opening symmetrically into the mid-lateral portion of the seminal vesicle; a large and pointed diaphragm; a short duct between the seminal vesicle and diaphragm; and a very broad, short ejaculatory duct with a very wide opening at the tip of the penis papilla. Dugesia postica Chen & Dong, sp. nov., is characterized by the following features: symmetrical openings of the oviducts into the bursal canal; a small penis bulb; a large and long penis papilla with a slightly larger dorsal lip and a small ventral lip; a long connecting duct between the seminal vesicle and diaphragm; a small diaphragm located near the tip of the penis papilla; and an extremely short ejaculatory duct. In the molecular phylogenetic tree, the two new species share a sister-group relationship and fall within an eastern Palearctic/Oriental clade of conspecifics. The distinct specific status of these two new species is also supported by their genetic distances. Through a multi-gene concatenated phylogenetic analysis, this study, for the first time, elucidates the evolutionary relationships among the Oriental, eastern Palearctic, and Australasian groups, enabling the development of a hypothesis on the potential dispersal routes of Dugesia into the eastern Palearctic region.
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References
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