Scherotheca portonana, Qiu & Bouche, 1998 Qiu & Bouche, 1998

Marchán, Daniel Fernández, Gérard, Sylvain, Hedde, Mickaël, Rougerie, Rodolphe & Decaëns, Thibaud, 2022, An updated checklist and a DNA barcode library for the earthworms (Crassiclitellata, Oligochaeta) of Corsica, France, Zoosystema 44 (17), pp. 439-461 : 455

Scherotheca portonana L4

MATERIAL COLLECTED. — France • 10 adult specimens, 11 juvenile specimens; Haute-Corse , Albertacce, Col de Vergio; 42°17’27”N, 8°52’44”E; 1450 m a.s.l.; 28.III.2021; T. Decaëns, D. Fernández Marchán leg.; Eco & Sols ( BOLD Sample ID: DFM-0041, DFM- 0042, DFM-0043), MNHN ( BOLD Sample ID: DFM-0044, DFM-0045, DFM-0046, DFM-0049, DFM-0050, DFM-0051, DFM-0052, DFM-0056, DFM-0059, DFM-0060, DFM-0062, DFM-0063, DFM-0064, DFM-0065, DFM-0066, DFM-0067, DFM-0068, DFM-0069) .

REMARKS

We found several species-level genetic lineages that broadly match the morphological description of Sc. portonana . At the type locality of the species (i.e., Albertacce, Col de Vergio; Qiu & Bouché 1998a; Fig. 4B ), we found two species-level lineages (L3 and L4). Unfortunately, L3 was represented by two juvenile specimens, preventing any testing of the existence of morphological differences between both lineages. We therefore conservatively consider L3 and L4 as cryptic lineages until further material is collected.

Two additional species-level lineages were also detected (L1 and L2). While they were initially assigned to Sc. portonana , they differ from each other and from the topotypes in significant morphological characters, thus they can be considered as new species. Interestingly, these two species are more closely related genetically to some lineages of Scherotheca corsicana ( Pop, 1947) (see infra) than to Sc. portonana sensu stricto (Suplementary File 1).

Figures

FIG. 4. — Some examples of endemic earthworm species sampled in Corsica and their habitats (to their right): A, Scherotheca portonana L4 Qiu & Bouché,1998; B, alpine pasture at Col de Vergio (Bouché#466); C, Scherotheca albomaculata Qiu & Bouché, 1998; D, open Mediterranean chaparral at Sainte-Lucie de Porto- Vecchio (Bouché#414); E, Eumenescolex emiliae L1 Qiu & Bouché, 1998; F, Pinus laricio L. forest at Zonza (Bouché#2932); G, Hormogaster insularis Bouché, 1970; H, Quercus suber L. open wood at Volpajola (Bouché#480). Scale bars: 5 cm.