A new genus of land planarian (Platyhelminthes, Geoplanidae) for a new ‘blind’ species

The morphological and molecular (mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I, COI) characterization of a new species of the subfamily Geoplaninae (Geoplanidae) supports the erection of a new genus, <i>Anophthalmoplana</i> gen. nov. The most remarkable feature of <i>Anophthalmoplana horticola</i> sp. nov. is the absence of eyes, a feature so far only recorded in one species of Geoplaninae, <i>Geobia subterranea</i>. Other features of the species are: a narrow, ribbon-shaped body; a gonopore near the posterior tip; a creeping sole almost as wide as body width; cylindrical pharynx; voluminous extrabulbar prostatic vesicle; protrusible penis papilla occupying the whole male atrium; a common ovovitelline duct dorsal to the female atrium; the atrium being lined by an epithelium with a stratified appearance. Based on the mtDNA phylogeny, the specimens studied here form a separate clade from the genus <i>Geobia</i>, thus contradicting its inclusion in this genus or any other of the subfamily Geoplaninae. These results reinforce the morphological differences observed, regarding internal anatomy, from <i>Geobia</i> and other members of Geoplaninae. http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:317A4055-BCC8-4B89-A9DC-F96F98E803A5