Pithemera bicincta (Perrier, 1875)

Assis, José Eriberto De, Botelho, José Roberto, Souza, Botelho, Martins, Maria Laís, Vieira, Martins, Souza, João Vitor Nunes De, Rodrigues, Gilberto Gonçalves & Christoffersen, Martin Lindsey, 2017, A catalogue of the Eudrilidae and Megascolecidae (Clitellata: Lumbricina) from South America, with two new records of exotic species from Brazil, Turkish Journal of Zoology 41 (4), pp. 599-614 : 607-609

15. Pithemera bicincta (Perrier, 1875)

Perichaeta bicincta Perrier, 1875 ;? Perichaeta violacea Beddard, 1895 a: 407;? Perichaeta violacea Beddard, 1895 ;? Pheretima aimerikiensis Ohfuchi, 1941 ; Pheretima bicincta : Michaelsen, 1935 b: 107.

Distribution: ARG ( Fragoso and Brown, 2007).

New record: Campina Grande, Paraíba, Northeast Brazil.

Further distribution: Asia, Pacific Islands ( Blakemore, 2002), Central America, Mexico ( Fragoso and Brown, 2007), Madeira, Canary Islands ( Talavera, 1990), Hungary ( Csuzdi et al., 2008), London and Dublin ( Blakemore, 2010).

Examined material: 8 adult specimens collected on 28 April 2009 in an urban area located in Campina Grande (7°13′28.77″S, 35°52′2.74″W), State of Paraíba, northeastern Brazil ( UFPB 1461 ) ( Figure 3C ) .

Description: Length: 48–51 mm. Diameter: 2–2.5 mm. Segments: 78–102. Prostomium: open epilobous. First dorsal pore: 12/13. Setae: perichaetine. Nephropores: absent. Clitellum: 14(1/2)–16, annular, darker than the rest of the earthworm. Spermathecal pores: 5 pairs in 4/5/6/7/8/9. Female pores: closely paired on 14. Male pores: a pair on conical porophores in 18. Genital markings: absent ( Figure 4A ). Septa: 5/6–7/8 thickened, and 8/9 absent. Spermathecae: 5 pairs, 5–9 ( Figures 4B and 4C ). Nephridia: meroic. Gizzard: a single one in 8–10. Hearts: 10–12. Calciferous glands: absent. Ovaries: a pair in 13. Testes: 10 and 11, seminal vesicles paired in 11 and 12. Prostate glands: opening in 18 and extending into 16– 19, racemose. Intestinal origin: 15, with a pair of ceca in 22 ( Figure 4D ).

Remarks: Specimens of P. bicincta were found under a grape tree sharing the same spot with Pontoscolex corethrurus (Müller, 1857) in the first 10-cm layer of soil.

Genus Polypheretima Michaelsen, 1934

Type: Perichaeta stelleri Michaelsen, 1892

Figures

Figure 3. Geographical distribution in South America: A) Amynthas rodericensis (circle), Metaphire californica (triangle), Metaphire houlletti (square), Metaphire posthuma (star), and Diplodricodrilus schmardae (square); B) Perionyx excavatus (circle) and Pheretima darnleiensis (triangle); C) Pheretima bicincta (square) (new record from Brazil) and Polypheretima elongata (square); D) Polypheretima taprobanae (square) and Pontodrilus litoralis (circle) from South America.

Figure 4. A) Pheretima bicincta, anterior body part in ventral view, spermathecal pores in 4/5/6/7/8/9, closely paired female pores on 14; B) dorsal view, 5 pairs of spermathecae in 5–9; C) spermatheca with a single diverticulum; D) 1 pair of ceca in 22.