Nicodrilus carochensis, Perez-Onteniente & Rodriguez Babio, 2002

Pérez Onteniente, A. & Rodríguez Babío, C., 2002, Three new species of earthworm (Annelida: Oligochaeta: Lumbricidae), from the Valencian Community, Spain, Journal of Natural History 36 (5), pp. 515-530 : 520-521

Nicodrilus carochensis n. sp.

(®gure 2)

HOLOTYPE. A specimen of 121 mm length and 191 segments collected in Enguera, Valencia, Spain (details in Localities and material and Ecology) by A. P. Onteniente (12 March 1995), and labelled Enguera 121 (191).

PARATYPES. Seven mature specimens collected at Enguera (type locality).

Localities and material. Province of Valencia: Moixent : 3M. Mediterranean scrub. Enguera: 8M, 7 I. Mediterranean scrub. NavaloÂn: 1M, 3 I. Mediterranean scrub .

Derivatio nominis. The name refers to the massif of Caroch where the species was found.

External characters. Length 102±155 mm (average 120.9, standard deviation 16.8). Diameter: maximum 4.5±6 mm (av. 5.3, SD 0.4); postclitellar 4±5 mm (av. 4.6, SD 0.36). Weight 1.100±2.650 g (av. 1.72, SD 0.50). Number of segments 180±209 (av.192.7, SD 7.7). First dorsal pore in 6/7 (9%) or 7/8 (90%). Setae paired with the following relative postclitellar distances (segment 40) aa:33, ab:4, bc:22, cd:3, dd: half of the perimeter. Setae ab always in perithecal papillae in x, xi, in ¯at clitellar anterior papillae: 26 (17%), 27 (8%), clitellar posterior papillae: xxx, xxxii (100%). Clitellum from xxv (8%), xxvi (58%) or xxvii (33%) to xxxiv (92%) or onequarter 35 (8%), with pellucid area in xxv or xxvi. Tubercula pubertatis in continuous line, from half xxx (83%) or xxxi (17%) to xxxiii (50%) or 1/ n xxxiv (50%).

Internal characters. Septa 6/7 to 9/10 very thickened, 5/6 and 10/11 lightly thickened. Seminal vesicles, four pairs in ix±xii, the two anterior pairs small, two posterior large, well developed, sometimes with parasites. Two pairs of spermathecae in x and xi, almost always full. Testicular funnels always with iridescence in mature specimens. Typhlosole pennate (®gure 4a) with central and lateral crests, beginning gradually in xxi (14%) or xxii (86%), end: cxix±cxxxv (av. 126.5, SD 5.32). Number of atyphlosolate segments: 57±74 (av. 67, SD 6.4). Remaining characters as in the previous species.

Karyology. Observation showed the diploid karyotype of N. carochensis (®gure 5b) to have a chromosome number 2 n 536.

Ecology. Found between 680 and 920 m altitude in the mesomediterranean zone with dry ombroclimate (type locality 750 m alt.). The habitat is Mediterranean scrub, and the values of soil factors (locality of Enguera) were: moisture: 20.51%; porosity: 45.86%; aeration: 25.35%; fraction> 2 mm: 14.26%; hygroscopical moisture: 3.09%; pH: 8.17; organic matter: 2.86%; sand ( USDA) : 60.00%; lime ( USDA): 18.00%; clay: 22.00%; sand ( ISSS): 73.50%; lime ( ISSS): 4.50%.

Companion species. Allolobophora rosea and Dendrobaena osellai .

Remarks. This species diOEers from N. tetramammalis n. sp., as far as the constant characters are concerned, in the perithecal papillae and shape of the typhlosole. It shows signi®cant diOEerences in number of segments (p <0.002) and in the end of the typhlosole (p <0.01), and there are notable diOEerences in the clitellar papillae. Compared with N. trapezoides the diOEerences are found mainly in the perithecal papillae, shape of the typhlosole and production of sperm. There are also signi®cant diOEerences in length (p <0.002), number of segments (p <0.002), weight (p <0.002) and in the end of the typhlosole (p <0.002). DiOEerences have also been noticed in the number of atyphlosolate segments and the clitellar papillae. Nicodrilus nocturnus diOEers mainly in the extent of the porophores and the perithecal papillae. There are also notable diOEerences in the position of the ®rst dorsal pore, extent of the clitellum, clitellar papillae, end of the typhlosole, and in the number of atyphlosolate segments. Finally, N. caliginosus diOEers in pigmentation, shape of typhlosole, origin of tubercula pubertatis, perithecal papillae, length (p <0.002), number of segments (p <0.002), weight (p <0.002) and the end of the typhlosole (p <0.002).