Diversibipalium mayottensis, Justine, Gastineau, Gros, Gey, Ruzzier, Charles & Winsor, 2022 Jones and Sluys, 2016

Diversibipalium mayottensis

Diversibipalium mayottensis ( Fig. 17 View Figure 17 ) was formally described from a few specimens found in Mayotte, a French island in the Indian Ocean (Justine et al. 2022a); it was recorded before under the name Diversibipalium sp. “blue” ( Justine et al. 2018b). The species is characterized by a very particular blue-green coloring pattern, but we were unable to carry out a histological study due to lack of specimens. Our molecular studies place this species as a sister group to all other Bipaliinae ( Justine et al. 2018b) View in CoL but this was not confirmed in another study based on different markers ( Solà et al. 2023). As Mayotte is geologically a small island of relatively recent origin, it is likely that the true origin of the species is elsewhere. Madagascar, which is close to Mayotte, is a possibility. Studies of the Bipaliinae View in CoL of Madagascar should be undertaken to find the species, or close species. The position as sister group to the other Bipaliinae View in CoL strongly suggests creating a new genus for D. mayottensis ; in the absence of data on the reproductive system, this was not proposed (Justine et al. 2022a).