| Amaga | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Amaga becki | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Platyhelminthes |
| Order: | Tricladida |
| Family: | Geoplanidae |
| Subfamily: | Geoplaninae |
| Genus: | Amaga Ogren & Kawakatsu, 1990 |
| Type species | |
| Geoplana amagensis Fuhrmann, 1914 | |
Amaga is a genus of land planarians from South America.
The genus Amaga was erected by Robert E. Ogren and Masaharu Kawakatsu to include Neotropical land planarians with an intra-antral penis papilla, i.e., a small penis papilla at the proximal end of a folded male atrium. [1]
A recent redescription of the type species, Amaga amagensis, revealed that the intra-antral penis papilla is not a permanent structure as previously thought. A new diagnosis of the genus describes it as Geoplaninid land planarians with a large and broad, flat body and a well-developed glandular margin, i.e., several glands discharge along the margins of the body, which can be observed in histological sections. The testes are located at the dorsum, above the parenchymal transverse muscles, while most species in the subfamily Geoplaninae have dorsal testes beneath the parenchymal transverse muscles. The copulatory apparatus lacks a permanent penis and the ovovitelline ducts enter the female atrium at the same time, without joining to form a common duct. [2] The remaining species currently in the genus need a taxonomic re-evaluation and may be transferred to new genera in the future. [2]
The name Amaga comes from the specific epithet, amagensis, of the type-species, originally described as Geoplana amagensis due to its occurrence in the proximities of Amagá, Colombia. [1]
Most species of Amaga have been found in their country of origin in continental South America. However, Amaga expatria has been discovered in the Bermuda [3] and has never been found in South America. In 2020, a study showed that the species was present in many locations in the islands of Guadeloupe and Martinique. [4] Amaga expatria feeds on earthworms and snails. [4]
Amaga pseudobama has been discovered in North Carolina, Georgia and Florida in the USA. Its country of origin, probably in South America, is unknown. [5]
The complete mitochondrial genome of Amaga expatria has been analysed. [4] It is 14,962 bp in length and contains 12 protein coding genes, two rRNA genes and 22 tRNA genes. The mitogenome was compared with the few available mitogenomes from geoplanids and the most similar was Obama nungara , a species from South America.
The complete mitogenome of Amaga pseudobama also encodes for 12 protein coding genes, 2 rRNA and 22 tRNA and is colinear with those of other Geoplanidae. [5] The Elongation Factor 1-alpha gene, 18S and 28S genes were also characterised. [5]
The following species are accepted in the genus Amaga:
Bipalium is a genus of large predatory land planarians. They are often loosely called "hammerhead worms" or "broadhead planarians" because of the distinctive shape of their head region. Land planarians are unique in that they possess a "creeping sole", a highly ciliated region on the ventral epidermis that helps them to creep over the substrate. Native to Asia, several species are invasive to the United States, Canada, and Europe. Some studies have begun the investigation of the evolutionary ecology of these invasive planarians.
Geoplaninae is a subfamily of land planarians endemic to the Neotropical region. Members of this family are sometimes referred to as the Neotropical land planarians. However, one species, Obama nungara has been introduced in Europe.
Luteostriata is a genus of land planarians from Brazil characterized by a yellow body with dark longitudinal stripes.
Obama is a genus of land planarians from South America. It contains several species adapted to human-disturbed environments, including the only invasive land planarian native to the Neotropical realm, Obama nungara, which has been accidentally introduced in Europe.
The reproductive system of planarians is broadly similar among different families, although the associated structures can vary in complexity.
Geoplana is a genus of land planarians from South America.
Pasipha is a genus of land planarians from South America.
Notogynaphallia is a genus of land planarians from South America.
Robert Edward Ogren was an American zoologist.
Bogga is a genus of land planarians from South America. It is monotypic, being represented by the single species, Bogga bogotensis, which occurs in Bogotá, Colombia.
Gigantea is a genus of land planarians from the Neotropical realm.
Gusana is a genus of land planarians found in Chile.
Kontikia is a genus of land planarians native from islands in the Indo-Pacific region, but several species have been introduced elsewhere.
Timyma is a genus of land planarians from Chile. It is the sole genus of the subfamily Timyminae.
Pelmatoplaninini is a tribe of land planarians in the subfamily Rhynchodeminae.
Novibipalium is a genus of land planarians of the subfamily Bipaliinae.
Diversibipalium is a genus of land planarians of the subfamily Bipaliinae. It was erected to include species lacking sufficient morphological information to allow them to be classified in the appropriate genus.
Amaga expatria is a large species of land planarian in the subfamily Geoplaninae.
Geoplanini is a tribe of land planarians in the subfamily Geoplaninae.
Amaga pseudobama is a species of land planarian in the subfamily Geoplaninae.
