Amynthas phaselus phaselus (Hatai, 1930: 659)

Blakemore, Robert J., 2013, Jeju-do earthworms (Oligochaeta: Megadrilacea) - Quelpart Island revisited, Journal of Species Research 2 (1), pp. 15-54 : 31-33

Amynthas phaselus phaselus (Hatai, 1930: 659)

[ Fig. 11 ]

Material examined. IV0000251101, mature posterior amputee specimen collected from Mt Halla 12 th June, 2012 from under bridge on Rt 516 that provided DNA ( WO 42 resampled as w22). An unregistered specimen from Cheonji-yeon collected by RJB on 13 th June, 2012 is similar.

Description. (Of Jeju specimen). Length 50+mm. Darkish dorsum, clitellum buff. First dorsal pore 12/13. Setae ~60. Spermathecal pores distinct and nozzle-like in 5/6/ 7/8 ca. 0.3 C apart. Male pores as small lateral slits centred on flat porophore on 18 with ca. 14 setae intervening. No GMs. Nephridia are tufted in 5 & 6. Septa 8/9/ 10 aborted around gizzard, otherwise thin. Body filled with gregarines, especially segment 12. Spermathecae in 6-8, corrugated ampulla with shorter duct and digitiform diverticulum. Holandric, testis in large sacs in 10 and free in 11, non-iridescent, seminal vesicles anteriorly in 11 & 12 with pseudovesicles in 13. Hearts in 10-13. Ovaries in 13, no ovisacs in 14. Prostates with large glands on flaccid duct in 18. Oesophagus dilated and vascular in 11-13, intestine from 15, intestinal caeca simple but deeply incised ventrally (hemi-pinnate), typhlosole not noted.

Remarks. Current specimens resemble Amynthas phaselus (Hatai, 1930) that is known from Japan and main-

1 mm

land Korea and nominally includes synonyms:? Pheretima maculosus [sic] Hatai, 1930b: 661 (non Pheretima maculosa Gates, 1933 = Pheretima malacus Gates, 1936 ), Pheretima kamitai Kobayashi, 1934 , Pheretima serrata Kobayashi, 1936 ,? Pheretima phaselus tamurai Kobayashi, 1938 , Pheretima mutica Chen, 1938 and A. minjae Hong, 2001. Whether A. maculosus and its synonyms (mentioned above) should remain separate or be combin- ed in A. phaselus depends of further work. Currently, only the more “bean-shaped” male pores seem to separate them but confirmation from DNA data is wanting. Blakemore (2012: 113) recorded a possible syntype in Tokyo Museum, while noting that revision is underway based on new material recently collected not only from Jeju but also from Tokyo, from Seoul and on Ulleungdo Island (see Blakemore, 2013). Its full description is pending.

Figures

Fig. 11. Amynthas phaselus phaselus (Hatai, 1930: 659). Ventral view with prostomium, spermathecae and prostates in situ; caeca 27rhs shown with lymph glands on dorsal blood vessel; [boxed are enlargemnts of spermathecal and male pore in 7/8rhs and 18rhs].