Tritogenia sulcata Kinberg, 1867

Plisko, Jadwiga Danuta, 2003, Eleven new South African earthworms (Oligochaeta: Microchaetidae) with new information on some known species, and an inventory of the microchaetids of KwaZulu-Natal, African Invertebrates 44 (2), pp. 279-325 : 318-319

Tritogenia sulcata Kinberg, 1867

Tritogenia sulcata Kinberg, 1867: 97 ; Perrier 1886: 876; Michaelsen 1899 a: 415, 1900: 453, 1918: 338; Reynolds & Cook 1976: 176; Plisko 1992: 373.

Megachaeta (Tritogenia) sulcata ; Michaelsen 1891: 50.

Megachaeta ? sulcata ; Michaelsen 1891: 50.

Tritogenia sulcata [part.]; Michaelsen 1908: 31.

Microchaetus sulcatus f. typicus Michaelsen, 1913 c: 431.

Tritogenia morosa Cognetti, 1906: 13 ; Michaelsen 1913 c: 431, 1918: 338.

Microchaetus sulcatus ; Reynolds & Cook 1976: 176.

Megachaeta sulcata ; Reynolds & Cook 1976: 176.

Material examined: KwaZulu­Natal: NMSA /Olig.00467 on bank of Umgeni River

(29º28'S: 30º29'E) at crossroad to Safari World, after rain, from top layer of moist soil,

6 December 1989, 1 semi­mature + 5 juv, JDP. Pietermaritzburg (29º35'S: 30º25'E) Town

Bush: NMSA / Olig.00688 from litter, 22 March 1988, 1 cl + 1 juv; NMSA / Olig.00968 Town Bush, at left side of the road leading to Government Nursery, from dry black soil, 12 October 1988 3 juv. NMSA / Olig.00908 Orient Park (30º31'S: 30º13'E) near Midmar Dam, grassland, 31 January 1991, 22 cl + 34 aclitellate. All collected by JDP .

Remarks: The type locality was cited as Port Natal [now Durban]. The recent collection sites confirm species distribution in eastern and central KZN ( Fig. 14 ).

The mucosa species­group

To this group, characterised by spermathecal pores occurring in three intersegmental furrows 10/11 11/12 12/13, or 11/12 12/13 13/14, or 13/14 14/15 15/16, are assigned: mucosa * Plisko & Zicsi, 1991, alveata *, insolita * Plisko, 1997, koilia * Plisko, 1997, liversagei ** Plisko, 1997, silvicola Plisko, 1997 , turneri Plisko, 1997 .

Species marked with one asterisk are known only from KZN indigenous forests, grasslands and undisturbed areas. T. liversagei is known from northern KZN, and the Drakensberg mountain range in Mpumalanga, occuring in primary grassland, grassland utilised as pastures, and also in the soil under endemic Acacia trees. T. silvicola and turneri are known only from forested areas in northern Limpopo province.

New records are obtainable for alveata ; no new material avaiable for insolita , koilia , mucosa , and liversagei .

Figures

Fig. 14. The distribution of Tritogenia species in KZN. 1 = alveata; 2 = annetteae; 3 = ataxia; 4 = benhami; 5 = crassa; 6 = curiosa; 7 = curta; 8 = debbieae; 9 = diversa; 10 = douglasi; 11 = herbana; 12 = hiltonia; 13 = howickiana; 14 = insolita; 15 = karkloofia; 16 = koilia; 17 = liversagei; 18 = lunata; 19 = melmothana; 20 = miniseta; 21 = monosticha; 22 = morosa; 23 = mucosa; 24 = ngelensis; 25 = ngomensis; 26 = qudeni; 27 = shawi; 28 = soleata; 29 = sulcata; 30 = tetrata; 31 = zuluensis.