Journal of the Marine Biological Association of India

New records of polycladida flatworms (Platyhelminthes: Cotylea) from Gujarat coast, India

Volume 67 Issue 1

Piyush Vadher, Hitesh Kardani, Rajkumar Dabhi and Imtiyaz Beleem

doi:10.6024/jmbai.2025.67.1.2518-15

Abstract

The present study reports two new records of flatworm species, Pseudobiceros fulgor Newman and Cannon, 1994 and Pseudobiceros hancockanus (Collingwood, 1876), from the Gulf of Kachchh, Gujarat. Pseudobiceros fulgor is recorded for the first time from the West coast of India, while Pseudobiceros hancockanus is a new record for Gujarat, India. This study provides detailed information on the morphology, distribution, and habitat of these species. The discovery of these species raises the number of flatworm species recorded in Gujarat from eight to ten. A comprehensive checklist of the flatworm fauna is prepared based on previous records from Gujarat waters. The study includes a comprehensive review of previously recorded flatworms from the region and presents new distribution data, particularly for Gujarat, where flatworm fauna had not been extensively explored before. The study emphasizes the importance of further exploration and documentation to understand the diversity and distribution of marine flatworms in India.

Keywords

Flatworms, new records, distribution, checklist

Date : 15-05-2025