The karyology of Procerodes lobata (Turbellaria, Tricladida, Maricola)

Abstract

The diploid complement of the marine planarian Procerodes lobata, collected from the type locality, Corfu, consists of 14 metacentric chromosomes. The karyotype is virtually identical with that of P. littoralis, the only other member of the genus for which detailed karyometric data are available, but it differs from British populations of P. lobata. Early records of P. lobata in North America probably refer to Uteriporus vulgaris, a species whose occurrence in eastern Canada has recently been established. The two species are almost indistinguishable in life but they may be separated karyologically, even when immature.