Brasilisia punki Hernandez-Garcia & James, 2018

Hernández-García, Luis Manuel, Burgos-Guerrero, Jesús Enrique, Rousseau, Guillaume Xavier & James, Samuel Wooster, 2018, Brasilisia n. gen. and Arraia n. gen., two new genera of Ocnerodrilidae (Annelida, Clitellata, Oligochaeta) from Eastern Amazonia, Brazil, Zootaxa 4496 (1), pp. 472-480 : 473-474

Brasilisia punki Hernandez-Garcia & James , n. sp.

( Figure 2 A–G )

Holotype. MPEG.ANL 0 0 0 329, adult, Livramento Island , Maranhão, Brazil, Restinga vegetation, 02°25'S, 44°25'W, 4 masl. June 2010. Silva, R.S. & Rousseau, G.X. colls.

Paratypes. MPEG.ANL 0 0 0 330 two adults, MPEG.ANL 0 0 0 331 four adults, MPEG. ANL 0 0 0 332 three adults, MPEG.ANL 0 0 0 333 three adults, MPEG.ANL 0 0 0 334 one adult, same data as for holotype .

Etymology. The species name is derived from the nickname “Punk” of Ribamar Alves, field guide and island owner assistant.

Description. Dimensions: Holotype 41 mm by 2.6 mm at segment X, 2.6 mm at clitellum, 2.3 mm at XXX, body cylindrical, segments 135. Paratypes 32–55 mm by 2.0– 3.1 mm at segment X, 2.1–3.3 mm at clitellum, 1.9– 2.5 mm at XXX, body cylindrical, segments 128–172. Setae closely paired throughout, cd sub-lateral; setal formula aa:ab:bc:cd = 4:1:3:1 at X, 3:1:1.5:0.4 at XXX, DD> ½ circumference. Prostomium prolobous; some individuals with triannulate segments after XXII. Unpigmented, dorsal pores present, spermathecal pores within 8/9 approximately in b line; with tumid lips as wide as ac. Clitellum between ½ XIV, XV–XXI, saddle form, ventrolateral edges thickened in segments XVIII–XX ( Fig. 2A ). Microscopic ovipores in XIV just behind 13/ 14 in ab line; One pair of male and prostatic pores in XVII on ab line and open joint over protruding porophores. Postclitellar setae 100–110 µm in length ( Fig. 2B ). Setae ab in VII–XVI modified as genital setae and measuring 540–600 µm in length ( Fig. 2C ); genital markings of ab line in VII–XVI as papillae, those of IX–XVI are protruding like protuberances.

Anterior septa 5/6–8/9 strong, 9/10 less muscular; 10/11–12/13 thin. A strong gizzard in V measuring 1.7–2 mm large and 1.5–1.7 mm in width; esophagus valvular in XII, intestinal origin in XIII; dorsal typhlosole beginning in XV, with lamellar and sigmoidal structure, running to the posterior region, ending in LXXXI; intestinal walls lack segmental pouches. Calciferous glands paired in IX ( Fig. 2D ), composite-tubular type, each gland with a thin blood vessel from anterior end to extra-esophageal vessel, blood vessel from duct of gland to supra-esophageal vessel. Holonephric, first nephridia visible clearly in segment XII. Postclitellar nephridia with a short duct opening in a laminar bladder, fine folded and branched microtubes running inside the bladder ( Fig. 2E ). Vascular system with ventral trunk, single dorsal trunk in segments IV–IX, dorsal vessel single; lateral vessels in V–IX. Two pairs of latero-esophageal hearts present in segments X–XI.

Ovaries and funnels in XIII. One pair of adiverticulate spermathecae in segment IX, consisting of large sac widened in the middle region and narrowing at base and entally, ducts as wide as ampulla opening in 8/9, at b line ( Fig. 2F ). Male sexual system holandric, testes and funnels in X, XI, within sacs. Seminal grooves absent. Two pairs of deferent ducts superficial on internal body wall are visible from segments X–XI, fusing in XII and running through b line to segment XVII where deferent duct, of each side, fuses with the distal end of prostatic duct and open to the porophore in b line; seminal vesicles occupying segment IX laterally placed on body wall, X–XII large and placed ventrolaterally covering the esophagus. Tubular prostates in XVII and running in zig-zag pattern under intestine. In four specimens the prostatic tubes extended to segment L, glandular diameter between 140–150 µm, while ducts diameter are 40 µm. The prostatic ducts are 300–350 µm in length (approximately 3 segments long), slightly muscular.

Remarks. This new species is the first described from its genus. We determined it to be new based on the summary of genus characters implicit in the key of Fragoso & Rojas (2009), and here we will review the many unique anatomical features of the species, previously unknown within Ocnerodrilidae . There is no trace of seminal grooves in the male field, in which the species resembles several others, like Gatesia unica Jamieson, 1962 , Quechuona michaelseni Jamieson, 1962 , and Haplodrilus tagua, Righi, Ayres & Bittencourt, 1978 with two porophores on segment XVII, on which the prostatic and male pores open. The number of paired genital markings (10) on setae ab is unusual, if not unprecedented, and these are associated with enlarged and modified genital setae. The ventro-lateral edges of the clitellum in segments XVIII–XX are thickened to resemble tubercula pubertatis, a character which we believe is unique in the family. No other genus in the Megascolecoidea crown-group of Crassiclitellata ( Megascolecidae , Acanthodrilidae , Benhamiidae , Ocnerodrilidae ) has this structure, and neither does Eudrilidae , which shares a common ancestor with this crown-group ( James & Davidson 2012). The strong gizzard clearly in V is very unusual, both for position and degree of development.

Among all genera of ocnerodrilids, Dariodrilus Righi et al., 1978 is most similar to the new genus in the presence of one gizzard, calciferous glands paired in IX, male and prostatic pores paired in XVII and two pairs of testicular sacs. The differences between the new genus and Dariodrilus are the position of the gizzard, which is in V for Brasilisia n. gen. and VII for Dariodrilus , dorsal pores are present for Brasilisia n. gen. and absent in Dariodrilus . The female reproductive system in Dariodrilus is hologynous while in Brasilisia n. gen. it is metagynous.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Brasilisia punki n. gen. A. Ventral view of anterior body, with clitellar region. B. Post clitellar seta of a line of XXXV. C. Genital seta of b line of segment XVI. D. Dorsal view of left calciferous gland of IX. E. Dorsal view of left post clitellar nephridium. F. Dorsal view of left spermatheca of IX. sa = follicle of setae a, sb = follicles of setae b.