Anatomy of two species of Megalobulimus (Strophocheilidae, Megalobuliminae) from South-Central Bahia, Brazil

Abstract

An anatomical and taxonomic study of Megalobulimus oblongus (Müller, 1774) and M. conicus (Bequaert, 1948) (Strophocheilidae, Megalobuliminae) is carried out, based mainly on samples from the south-central region of Bahia, Brazil. It revealed interesting anatomical differences in several structures, mainly in the pallial cavity, with greater ramification of vessels in the respiratory region of M. oblongus when compared to M. conicus; and in the genital system of M. conicus, which has a more elongated prostate, and the folds of the penis are more spaced. A taxonomical discussion is presented, including several characters confirmed as typical of the genus and subfamily, such as buccal flange, prerectal valve and pulmonary septum.