Species of the genus Choeradoplana are characterized by the presence of a cephalic retractor muscle associated with cephalic glands, forming a cephalic musculo-glandular organ in a way similar to the one found in the genera Luteostriata and Issoca. The head of Choeradoplana is highly rolled backwards and the ventral area thus visible has two "cushions" formed by the musculo-glandular organ.[1] This peculiar head shape makes it easy to identify a species as belonging to this genus.
Etymology
The name Choeradoplana comes from Greek word χοιράς (scrofula) and the Latin word plana (flat) due to the two cushions on the ventral side of the head that resemble the neck swellings in patients affected by scrofula.[2]
Species
The genus Choeradoplana currently includes the following 24 species:[3][4]
^Ogren, R. E. and Kawakatsu, M. (1990). Index to the species of the family Geoplanidae (Turbellaria, Tricladida, Terricola) Part I: Geoplaninae. Bulletin of Fujis Women's College. 29: 79-166.
^Graff, L. v. (1896). "Über das System und die geographische Verbreitung der Landplanarien". Verhandlungen der Deutschen Zoologischen Gesellschaft. 6: 61–75.
^Carbayo, Fernando; Silva, Marcos Santos; Riutort, Marta; Álvarez-Presas, Marta (2017). "Rolling into the deep of the land planarian genus Choeradoplana (Tricladida, Continenticola, Geoplanidae) taxonomy". Organisms Diversity & Evolution. 18 (2): 187–210. doi:10.1007/s13127-017-0352-4. ISSN1439-6092. S2CID4547123.
^Negrete, L.; Zivano, A.; Francavilla, M. L.; Damborenea, C.; Brusa, F. (31 December 2024). "When looks can be deceiving: a new cryptic land planarian species of Choeradoplana Graff, 1896 (Platyhelminthes: Geoplanidae) from Argentina". Systematics and Biodiversity. 22 (1). Taylor & Francis: 2292661. doi:10.1080/14772000.2023.2292661. ISSN1477-2000.