''Timyma'' 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
land planarian
Geoplanidae is a family of flatworms known commonly as land planarians or land flatworms.
These flatworms are mainly predators of other invertebrates, which they hunt, attack and capture using physical force and the adhesive and digestive proper ...
s from Chile. It is the sole genus of the subfamily Timyminae.
Description
The genus ''Timyma'' includes planarians of elongate body and spatula-like anterior end. Although most land planarians native from South America have dorsal testes, ''Timyma'' has ventral testes, which at first suggested that it is related to the
Australasia
Australasia is a region that comprises Australia, New Zealand and some neighbouring islands in the Pacific Ocean. The term is used in a number of different contexts, including geopolitically, physiogeographically, philologically, and ecologica ...
species of the tribe
Caenoplanini.
However, the longitudinal cutaneous musculature of ''Timyma'' is very weak, differently from other genera in this tribe.
However, molecular studies confirmed that it is more closely related to other land planarians in South America, having a sister-group relationship with the subfamily
Geoplaninae
Geoplaninae is a subfamily of land planarians endemic to the Neotropical region. However, one species, ''Obama nungara'' has been introduced in Europe.
Description
The subfamily Geoplaninae was initially defined by Ogren and Kawakatsu (1990)Ogr ...
.
The
copulatory apparatus lacks adenodactyls and a permanent penis papilla.
Species
There are currently two species recognised in the genus ''Timyma'':
* ''
Timyma juliae''
Froehlich, 1978
* ''
Timyma olmuensis''
Almeida & Carbayo, 2021
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q18597046
Geoplanidae
Rhabditophora genera