Tritogenia lunata Plisko, 1997

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 : 317-318

Tritogenia lunata Plisko, 1997

Tritogenia lunata Plisko, 1997: 259 .

Material examined: KwaZulu­Natal: Karkloof Nature Reserve , Melmoth section: NMSA / Olig. 03473 (29º16'51"S: 30º16'52"E) hillside, rocky grassland, among molerat mounds, 9 October 2001, 2 cl + 7 juv; NMSA / Olig. 03476 (29º16'57"S: 30º16'33"E) hillside south­west, valley, grassland, collected on surface, 9 October 2001, 1 cl [larger than type material]; NMSA / Olig. 03475 (29º17'00"S: 30º16'31"E) valley above stream, grassland, 9 October 2001, 2 cl + 2 juv; NMSA / Olig. 03477 (29º17'09"S: 30º16'24"E) valley, edge of vlei, grassland, from peat soil, 10 October 2001, 1 cl; all collected by AJA, PN . Karkloof (29º18'S: 30º13'E) Mr Geekie’s Farm Benvie: NMSA / Olig. 00235 at ca. 1260 m, forest edge of lower part of afromontane forest, collected under moss and between roots of various plants, on rocks and stones along stream, 22 February 1989, 1 aclitellate, JDP, BRS ; NMSA / Olig. 01004 at ca. 1260 m, mixed Podocarpus forest edge, lower part, from first 1–20 cm of moist soil, 20 December 1988, 5 cl + 21 juv, JDP, BRS ; NMSA / Olig. 00240 at ca. 1250 m, on the side of road, on bank of muddy stream between roots in muddy black soil, 22 February 1989, 1 aclitellate, JDP, BRS ; NMSA / OLIG. 00247 at ca. 1260 m, higher part of afromontane forest edge, from litter and top soil, 22 February 1989, 2 with tubercula pubertatis + 7 juv, JDP, BRS . Doreen Clark Nature Reserve : NMSA / Olig. 03322 (29º34'41"S: 30º17'21"E) grassland, mediumtall grass, 15 January 2001, 1 not fully developed, AJA ; from grassland with tall Digiteria eviantha (29º34'42"S: 30º17'20"E) NMSA / Olig. 03445 2 cl [much smaller than type material], and NMSA / Olig. 03446 2 cl abscised, collected 25 April 2001 by AJA, BK . NMSA / Olig. 03481 Marwaqa Nature Reserve (29º48'43"S: 29º44'55"E) plateau, grassland, short thick grass, 15 October 2001, 2 cl, AJA, PN .

Remarks: Known from numerous sites in the Midlands of KZN ( Fig. 14 ). Occurs in afromontane forests, patches of grassland, indigenous bush and forest, and in open primary grasslands. Variation in size was observed: there were mature individuals much larger or smaller than those known from the type locality. The species collected in the Doreen Clark Nature Reserve was associated with introduced megascolecid Amynthas aeruginosus ( Kinberg, 1867) .

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.