''Cura'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

of freshwater flatworm (triclad)s belonging to the family

Dugesiidae Dugesiidae is a family of freshwater planarians distributed worldwide (except Antarctica). The type genus is ''Dugesia'' Girard, 1850.Ball, I. R.: A contribution to the phylogeny and biogeography of the freshwater triclads (Platyhelminthes: Tur ...

. ''Cura'' was ranked as a

subgenus In biology, a subgenus (plural: subgenera) is a taxonomic rank directly below genus. In the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, a subgeneric name can be used independently or included in a species name, in parentheses, placed between t ...

of ''

Dugesia ''Dugesia'' (pronounced, /duˈd͡ʒiʒ(i)ə/) is a genus of dugesiid triclads that contains some common representatives of the class Turbellaria. These common flatworms are found in freshwater habitats of Africa, Eurasia, and Australia. ''Dugesi ...

'' until 1974, then it was elevated to the genus rank.

Description

Individuals of this genus have a low triangle-shaped head.Ball IR: A contribution to the phylogeny and biogeography of the freshwater triclads (Platyhelminthes: Turbellaria). Biology of the Turbellaria (Edited by: Riser NW & Morse MP). New York: McGraw-Hill New York 1974, pp.339-401.

Distribution

''Cura'' species present a

disjunct distribution In biology, a taxon with a disjunct distribution is one that has two or more groups that are related but considerably separated from each other geographically. The causes are varied and might demonstrate either the expansion or contraction of a s ...

. '' C. foremanii'' inhabits North America, while '' C. fortis'' is found in

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

,Sluys, R., Kawakatsu, M., 2001. Contribution to an inventory of the freshwater planarians of Australia and New Zealand (Platyhelminthes, Tricladida, Dugesiidae), with distribution maps of the species examined. Beaufortia/Bull Zool Mus Univ Amsterdam 51(10):163-198 and '' C. pinguis'' in

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

, and

New Caledonia ) , anthem = "" , image_map = New Caledonia on the globe (small islands magnified) (Polynesia centered).svg , map_alt = Location of New Caledonia , map_caption = Location of New Caledonia , mapsize = 290px , subdivision_type = Sovereign st ...

.Kawakatsu, M., 1969. Report on freshwater and land planarians from New Caledonia. Bull. Osaka Mus. Nat. Hist., 22: 1-14

Phylogeny

Phylogenetic tree including five dugesiid genera after Álvarez-Presas et al., 2008:

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q5194594 Dugesiidae Taxa named by Embrik Strand Rhabditophora genera