Spathula is a genus of dugesiidtriclad. Its species are found in Australia and New Zealand.
Until 1977, Spathula was ranked as a subgenus of Dugesia. The name of the genus derives from the Latinspathula, meaning "broad, flat piece".
Description
Specimens of this genus have a triangular head. Along with this, the genus was originally defined as planarians with "one atrium (undivided) around the penis, into which opens the bursa stalk" and numerous testes.
Species
The following species are recognised in the genus Spathula
↑Ball, I. R. (1977). "A monograph of genus Spathula (Platyhelminthes: Turbellaria: Tricladida)". Australian Journal of Zoology Supplementary Series. 25 (47): 1. doi:10.1071/AJZS047.
↑Ball, I. R.: A contribution to the phylogeny and biogeography of the freshwater triclads (Platyhelminthes: Turbellaria). Biology of the Turbellaria (Edited by: Riser NW and Morse MP). New York: McGraw-Hill New York 1974, 339-401.
Tyler S, Schilling S, Hooge M, and Bush LF (comp.) (2006-2012) Turbellarian taxonomic database. Version 1.7 DatabaseArchived 2012-02-04 at the Wayback Machine