Dichogaster (Diplothecodrilus) saliens (Beddard, 1893)

Nxele, Thembeka C., 2012, The megadrile fauna (Annelida: Oligochaeta) of Queen Elizabeth Park, South Africa: species composition and distribution within different vegetation types, African Invertebrates 53 (2), pp. 543-543 : 549-550

Dichogaster (Diplothecodrilus) saliens (Beddard, 1893)

Microdrilus saliens: Beddard 1893: 683 .

Dichogaster crawi Eisen, 1900: 228 ; Michaelsen 1913: 418.

Dichogaster saliens: Gates 1972: 281 ; Ljungström 1972 a: 7; Reynolds 1993: 6; Zicsi 1998: 71; Dlamini

2002: 62; Horn et al. 2007: 175.

Dichogaster (Diplothecodrilus) saliens: Csuzdi 1995: 108 ; Plisko 2010: 292; 2012: 49.

Type locality: Undesignated. The type material supposedly originated from Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia, but obtained from earth at the Kew Gardens (UK) (Gates 1972). Description :

External: Length 40–45 mm, width 1–2 mm. Number of segments 100–110. Prostomium epilobous. Setae closely paired. First dorsal pore in 5/6. Clitellum on 13–19, circular, incomplete, interrupted by genital field on 17. Spermathecal and female pores not seen. Male pores paired on 17.

Internal: Gizzards two, in 5 and 6. Calciferous glands ovoid shaped in 15–17. Intestinal origin in 17.

Material examined:5 cl.: Mixed Scrub, between plantation and grassland (29°33.683'S 30°18.992'E), 3149ft, 24.ii.2012, 5 cl., NMSA /Olig.06144 .

Remarks: It was previously collected from LP, KZN and EC ( NMSAD). Some authors have collected this species in various habitats, ranging from nature reserves to grasslands and forests ( Dlamini 2002; Horn et al. 2007).