| Amaga pseudobama | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Amaga pseudobama photographed live in North Carolina. Dorsal view, the head is on the right. | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Platyhelminthes |
| Order: | Tricladida |
| Family: | Geoplanidae |
| Genus: | Amaga |
| Species: | A. pseudobama |
| Binomial name | |
| Amaga pseudobama Justine, Gastineau, Gey, Robinson, Bertone & Winsor, 2024 | |
Amaga pseudobama is a species of land planarian in the subfamily Geoplaninae. [1]
Amaga pseudobama is 19–28 mm in length. The body is broadly lanceolate with tapered extremities, the color is dark brown dorsally and light brown ventrally.
The authors of the species explained that "on the basis of examination of photographs of the live specimens only, the specimens were first considered as belonging to Obama nungara , a species originally from South America, which has now invaded a large part of Europe." [1]
According to the authors of the taxon, the specific epithet "alludes to the species being initially identified from photographs as the darkly pigmented form of Obama nungara . [1]
Amaga pseudobama was first found in 2020 in a plant nursery in Kinston, North Carolina, USA, in pots coming from another nursery in Georgia, USA. Specimens were also collected in Fort Myers, Florida, in 2015. Observations from citizen science suggest that the species could also be present in California and Texas.
The species is thus widespread in several states of Southern USA. Its origin is unknown, but it is known that members of the genus Amaga are all from various countries in South America.
As other land flatworms, this animal is probably a predator of other small animals, but currently nothing is known about its prey.
The complete mitogenome of Amaga pseudobama encodes for 12 protein coding genes, 2 rRNA and 22 tRNA and is colinear with those of other Geoplanidae. [1] The Elongation Factor 1-alpha gene, 18S and 28S genes were also characterised. [1]
Molecular phylogenies based on mitochondrial proteins or other genes associated Amaga pseudobama with Amaga expatria and differentiated it from Obama nungara , within a robust clade including these three Geoplaninae.
The New Zealand flatworm is a large land flatworm native to New Zealand. It can vary from 5 mm in length when hatched to approximately 17 centimetres (6.7 in) in mature adults.
The genetic structure of H5N1, a highly pathogenic avian influenza virus, is characterized by a segmented RNA genome consisting of eight gene segments that encode for various viral proteins essential for replication, host adaptation, and immune evasion.
Geoplanidae is a family of flatworms known commonly as land planarians or land flatworms.
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.
Caenoplana coerulea, known as the blue planarian or blue garden flatworm is a species of land planarian.
Platydemus manokwari, also known as the New Guinea flatworm, is a species of large predatory land flatworm.
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.
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.
Amaga is a genus of land planarians from South America.
Obama ladislavii is a species of Brazilian land planarian in the subfamily Geoplaninae. It is one of the most common land planarians in human-disturbed environments in southern Brazil and is easily identifiable by the green color of its dorsum.
Obama anthropophila is a species of Brazilian land planarian in the subfamily Geoplaninae. It is a very common land planarian in human-disturbed environments in southern and southeastern Brazil.
Obama ficki is a large species of Brazilian land planarian in the subfamily Geoplaninae.
Obama josefi is a species of Brazilian land planarian in the subfamily Geoplaninae.
Obama nungara is a species of land planarian in the family Geoplanidae. It is native to South America, but has been introduced in Europe.
Amaga expatria is a large species of land planarian in the subfamily Geoplaninae.
Obama decidualis is a species of land planarian belonging to the subfamily Geoplaninae. It is found within Brazil.
Vermiviatum covidum is a species of predatory land flatworm, found in France and Italy. The Holotype specimen is MNHN JL351B.
Diversibipalium mayottensis is a species of predatory land flatworm, found only in Mayotte.
Geoplanini is a tribe of land planarians in the subfamily Geoplaninae.
