Cura is a genus of freshwater flatworm (triclads) belonging to the family Dugesiidae.
Cura was ranked as a subgenus of Dugesia until 1974, then it was elevated to the genus rank.Ball, I. R. 1974. A new genus of freshwater triclad from Tasmania with reviews of the related genera Cura and Neppia (Turbellaria, Tricladida). Life Sci. Contr. R. Ont. Mus. No. 99:1-48.
Description Individuals of this genus have a low triangle-shaped head.Ball IR: A contribution to the phylogeny and biogeography of the freshwater triclads (Platyhelminthes: Turbellaria). Biology of the Turbellaria (Edited by: Riser NW & Morse MP). New York: McGraw-Hill New York 1974, pp.339-401.
Distribution Cura species present a disjunct distribution. C. foremanii inhabits North America, while C. fortis is found in New Zealand,Sluys, R., Kawakatsu, M., 2001. Contribution to an inventory of the freshwater planarians of Australia and New Zealand (Platyhelminthes, Tricladida, Dugesiidae), with distribution maps of the species examined. Beaufortia/Bull Zool Mus Univ Amsterdam 51(10):163-198 and C. pinguis in Australia, New Zealand, and New Caledonia.Kawakatsu, M., 1969. Report on freshwater and land planarians from New Caledonia. Bull. Osaka Mus. Nat. Hist., 22: 1-14
Phylogeny Phylogenetic tree including five dugesiid genera after Álvarez-Presas et al., 2008:
References