TURBELLARIA LECITHOEPITHELIATA - MORPHOLOGY, SYSTEMATICS, PHYLOGENY

A review of the literature on the world fauna of Lecithoepitheliata and Prolecithophora and extensive observations by the author on species of the Prorhynchidae, including cosmopolitan species as well as some endemic to Lake Baikal, and on endemic species of Baicalarctiinae (Prolecithophora) show that the Prorhynchidae and Gnosonesimidae are properly classified in the Neoophora. The morphological similarity of the Prorhynchidae and Prolecithophora proves these taxa are closely related. A hypothesis relating the Lecithoepitheliata Prorhynchidae to primitive prolecithophorans appears to be the only tenable hypothesis on the phylogeny of Lecithoepitheliata. The question of whether the Lecithoepitheliata is monophyletic still needs investigation; more evidence on the phylogeny of the Gnosonesimidae is needed.