Abstract Leading zoologist and taxonomist Ernest Marcus (1893-1968) and his school described numerous new invertebrate taxa, including planarians, or triclads (Platyhelminthes). These authors rarely provided the etymology of names for the new taxa. In this paper, the etymology of 149 names of genera and specific epithets of planarians lacking etymology (or honoring people) is investigated. The etymology of most names was retrieved from original descriptive papers and from Eudóxia Maria Froehlich’s recollections, a fellow of Marcus’ school. It was discovered that the names were usually freely derived from words of the language spoken in the country where the species was found. Some names were motivated by an aspect of the biology of the species. Other names honored people or are arbitrary. The etymology of 19 names could not be retrieved and are only suggested. The origin of another 19 names could not be discovered, nor even their meaning. Knowing the etymology makes it easier to memorize a name and it is a way to preserve the historical and emotional aspects of the authors. Through the retrieved etymologies, the personality of Marcus can also be glimpsed.

ABSTRACT: The food preference of Obama anthropophila Amaral, Leal-Zanchet & Carbayo, 2015, a species that seems to be spreading across Brazil’s human-modified environments, was investigated. Extensive experiments led to the conclusion that the generalized diet of this species may have facilitated its dispersal. The analysis of 132 feeding records of 44 geoplaninid species revealed a tendency for closely related species to feed on individuals from similar taxonomic groups, suggesting that in this group behavioral evolution is more conserved than phylogenetic diversification.

RESUMO As planárias terrestres (Platyhelminthes) são importantes componentes da criptofauna do solo, mas aspectos relevantes da sua ecologia, tais como riqueza e densidade, ainda são amplamente desconhecidos. Investigamos aqui as densidades relativa e absoluta das planárias terrestres de três manchas de mata atlântica secundária. Adotamos dois métodos de amostragens. Num método dedicamos 90 horas durante um ano à busca ativa de planárias em um conjunto de áreas demarcadas que somaram 6,000 m². O segundo método consistiu na extração das planárias de 480-600 l de serapilheira retirados de um total de 60 m² de solo. Encontramos 288 espécimes pertencentes a 16 espécies de planárias dos gêneros Geobia, Geoplana, Issoca, Luteostriata, Obama, Paraba, Pasipha, Rhynchodemus, Xerapoa, além das espécies exóticas Bipalium kewense and Dolichoplana striata. Os espécimes com até 10 mm de comprimento foram coletados principalmente por extração. As densidades absolutas, calculadas a partir dos números obtidos da extração, oscilaram entre 1,25 e 2,10 indivíduos m-². Estes valores são de 30 a 161 vezes maiores que as densidades relativas, calculadas a partir da busca direta. Como, na maioria dos estudos sobre composição de espécies e inventários faunísticos o tempo dedicado às coletas dura umas poucas horas por localidade, nossos resultados sugerem que espécies pequenas podem passar despercebidas. Ainda está por determinar-se se valores semelhantes de densidade desta criptofauna são também observados em bosques primários.

ABSTRACT Land planarians (Platyhelminthes) are likely important components of the soil cryptofauna, although relevant aspects of their ecology such as their density remain largely unstudied. We investigated absolute and relative densities of flatworms in three patches of secondary Brazilian Atlantic rainforest in an urban environment. Two methods of sampling were carried out, one consisting of 90 hours of active search in delimited plots covering 6,000 m² over a year, and the other consisting of leaf litter extraction from a 60 m² soil area, totaling 480-600 l leaf litter. We found 288 specimens of 16 species belonging to the genera Geobia, Geoplana, Issoca, Luteostriata, Obama, Paraba, Pasipha, Rhynchodemus, Xerapoa, and the exotic species Bipalium kewense and Dolichoplana striata. Specimens up to 10 mm long were mostly sampled only with the leaf litter extraction method. Absolute densities, calculated from data obtained with leaf litter extraction, ranged between 1.25 and 2.10 individuals m-2. These values are 30 to 161 times higher than relative densities, calculated from data obtained by active search. Since most common sampling method used in land planarian studies on species composition and faunal inventories is active search for a few hours in a locality, our results suggest that small species might be overlooked. It remains to be tested whether similar densities of this cryptofauna are also found in primary forests.

The nervous systems of flatworms have diversified extensively as a consequence of the broad range of adaptations in the group. Here we examined the central nervous system (CNS) of 12 species of polyclad flatworms belonging to 11 different families by morphological and histological studies. These comparisons revealed that the overall organization and architecture of polyclad central nervous systems can be classified into three categories (I, II, and III) based on the presence of globuli cell masses -ganglion cells of granular appearance-, the cross-sectional shape of the main nerve cords, and the tissue type surrounding the nerve cords. In addition, four different cell types were identified in polyclad brains based on location and size. We also characterize the serotonergic and FMRFamidergic nervous systems in the cotylean Boninia divae by immunocytochemistry. Although both neurotransmitters were broadly expressed, expression of serotonin was particularly strong in the sucker, whereas FMRFamide was particularly strong in the pharynx. Finally, we test some of the major hypothesized trends during the evolution of the CNS in the phylum by a character state reconstruction based on current understanding of the nervous system across different species of Platyhelminthes and on up-to-date molecular phylogenies.

The Brazilian Atlantic Forest harbors the world's richest areas of land planarians (Platyhelminthes: Tricladida). Nevertheless, the number of undiscovered species from this biological unit remains seemingly high. Herein we describe Geoplana piriana Almeida & Carbayo, sp. nov. from the state of Rio de Janeiro, and Geoplana tingauna Kishimoto & Carbayo, sp. nov. from the state of Santa Catarina. Each species shows a dorsum with a unique color pattern among Geoplaninae species. Their internal morphology also differs: G. piriana sp. nov. shows a unique combination of features, including an extrabulbar, non-bifurcated prostatic vesicle, a non-folded male atrium, a horizontal, cylindrical penis papilla, a female atrium anteriorly narrowed, and lined with an epithelium with multilayered aspect. Geoplana tingauna sp. nov. possesses a prostatic vesicle constituted of a pair of branches opening into the very distal portion of a tubular, unpaired portion, a feature not seen in other Geoplaninae species.

Mediante consulta bibliográfica e de bases de dados encontramos registros para o estado de São Paulo de 312 espécies de turbelários (incluindo Acoelomorpha, novo filo) de ambientes marinhos, límnicos e terrestres. Em 1999 haviam sido registradas aproximadamente 333 espécies; o número maior deve ser atribuído a espécies posteriormente sinonimizadas e, provavelmente, à precisão menor dos cômputos anteriores. Os dois únicos pesquisadores especialistas do grupo, trabalhando no estado, estimam, porém, um número muito maior. Há três coleções científicas abrigando turbelários, quase exclusivamente, terrestres.

A recent survey of the literature and databases on turbellarian fauna from the State of São Paulo, Brazil, yielded a total of 312 species (including Acoelomorpha, a new phylum) inhabiting marine, as well as freshwater, and terrestrial habitats. In 1999, approximately 333 species were registered. This higher number is related to a number of species synonymized thereafter, and probably related to lower accuracy of prior accounts. Nonetheless, the only two taxonomists studying this animal group in the State estimated a much higher actual number of species. In the State there are three scientific collections containing turbellarians, almost exclusively from terrestrial habitats.

Nas últimas décadas tem crescido o esforço internacional para conhecer a biodiversidade mundial visando a criação de políticas públicas de conservação. O Brasil vem participando deste esforço, como evidenciam as recentes publicações sobre o estado do conhecimento de vários táxons de organismos. Os macroturbelários (Polycladida e Tricladida, Platyhelminthes) fazem parte da fauna mundialmente menos estudada. Neste trabalho inventariamos por regiões a diversidade da fauna brasileira conhecida de macroturbelários e comparamos esta diversidade com a do resto do mundo. Analisamos também a atividade dos taxonomistas brasileiros do grupo no contexto mundial. Os resultados mostram que praticamente a totalidade das 246 espécies nominais descritas procede das regiões Sudeste e Sul. O número de espécies deverá aumentar significativamente quando forem feitas novas coletas, tanto em biomas e regiões ainda pouco ou nada explorados quanto nas áreas já amostradas. O Brasil está, relativamente a outros países, bem provido de especialistas. No entanto, em face da grande diversidade estimada, as amostragens deveriam ocorrer concomitantemente com a formação de novos especialistas.

In the last decades, international efforts have increased, with the aim of acquiring greater knowledge on worldwide biodiversity and to propose adequate conservation policies. Brazil has joined in these efforts, as is shown by recent publications on the state of knowledge of several taxa of organisms. The macroturbellarians (Polycladida and Tricladida, Platyhelminthes) are part of one of the less studied faunal groups, not only in Brazil but also in other regions of the world. In the present study we inventoried the knowledge on the diversity of Brazilian macroturbellarians and make a comparison with that from the rest of the world. We also analyze the accomplishments of Brazilian taxonomists dealing with macroturbellarians, with regard to the world context. Our results show that almost all of the 246 described species are from the South-eastern and Southern regions. The number of species will increase significantly when new samples are undertaken in biomes and regions still little or non-sampled, as well as in already explored areas. Brazil is relatively well provided with specialists in relation to other countries. Nonetheless, in view of the high numbers of estimated diversity, new samples should concur with the academic formation of new taxonomists.

Redescrevem-se N. caissara (E.M. Froehlich, 1955) e N. fita (Froehlich, 1959), reunidas no chamado grupo 2 de E.M. Froehlich & Leal-Zanchet (2003), dentro de Notogynaphallia. Ambas as espécies possuem um músculo retrator cefálico derivado da musculatura subepidérmica longitudinal ventral. A presença deste retrator nas duas espécies, mas não na espécie-tipo do gênero, é uma evidência consistente da heterogeneidade morfológica do gênero, como previamente sugerido por E.M. Froehlich & Leal-Zanchet (2003) com base em características dos órgãos reprodutores.

Notogynaphallia caissara (E.M. Froehlich, 1955) and N. fita (Froehlich, 1959) are redescribed. Both species are included in the so-called group 2 of E.M. Froehlich & Leal-Zanchet (2003), in Notogynaphallia, and are provided with a cephalic retractor muscle derived from the ventral longitudinal subepidermic muscle layer. A muscle retractor does not exist in the type-species of the genus. This is strong evidence of the morphological heterogeneity within the genus, as E.M. Froehlich & Leal-Zanchet (2003) previously proposed mainly based on characters of the reproductive organs.