Karyological data on some species of the genus Cura (Tricladida, Paludicola)

For the North American species Cura foremanii, the authors confirm a diploid complement of 12 chromosomes, and give a detailed description of the karyotype which is characterized by the presence of one long metacentric and five more or less subtelocentric chromosomes. A population of the Australian species C. pinguis possesses 36 metacentric chromosomes that are easy to assemble in six groups of six elements each. This suggests a hexaploid condition as do the karyometric results. Meiosis is normal in both germ lines and the development appears to be amphimictic.