On neotropical Temnocephala (Platyhelminthes)

Fourteen of the 19 recorded species of neotropical Temnocephala are re-exam ined for new taxonomic characters and all records are tabulated. Autapomorp hies found are eyespots with red. fugacious pigment, a characteristic patte rn of syncytial epidermal plates and excretory pores enclosed within the bo undaries of the paired post tentacular ('excretory') plates. The worms are rather homogeneous with regard to the genital structures (although T. brene si has only one pair of testes) and appear to hold their tentacles in a con sistent pattern. This suite of species is homogeneous. differing from worms from Australia currently assigned to the genus. Since the type of the taxo n Temnocephalida. Temnocephala chilensis (Moquin-Tandon, 1846). has the sui te of characters shown here, a new genus (Temnosewellia gen. nov.) is propo sed to accommodate Australian representatives formerly in Temnocephala.