| Abstract: | A new species of Soboliphyme from the endemic Iberian mole (Talpa occidentalis) is described. Soboliphyme occidentalis sp. nov. can be readily distinguished from all of its congeners primarily by the position of the vulva, which clearly shows a posterior oesophageal location, and the number of male caudal papillae. S. occidentalis sp. nov. is the only species that has four pairs of caudal papillae. S. abei, S. caucasica and S. jamesoni can be distinguished from S. occidentalis sp. nov. by not having a notched sucker, the anterior position of the vulva and two polar plugs in the eggs. S. jamesoni has an armate oral sucker and longer spicule; S. caucasica a longer spicule and shorter eggs, and S. abei has shorter eggs, which separate these species from S. occidentalis sp. nov. In the rest of the species with a notched oral sucker, S. baturini and S. hirudiniformis are differentiated from S. occidentalis sp. nov. by the anterior position of the vulva, two polar plugs in the egg and the spicule length in S. baturini and S. hirudiniformis and the size of eggs in S. baturini and S. hirudiniformis. S. ataahai, S. soricis and S. urotrichi have the vulva at the oesophago-intestinal junction, 9–10 male caudal papillae (S. ataahai and S. urotrichi), absence of male caudal papillae (S. soricis), armate oral sucker and long spicule in S. ataahai and one row of six circumoral spines in S. urotrichi. A key to the species of Soboliphyme is presented. |
