Metaphire quelparta seogwipo

Blakemore, Robert J., 2013, Jeju-do earthworms (Oligochaeta: Megadrilacea) - Quelpart Island revisited, Journal of Species Research 2 (1), pp. 15-54 : 38

Metaphire quelparta seogwipo sub-sp. nov.

[ Fig. 14 ]

Material examined. IV000261223 Holotype (H) semimature specimen, sketched and dissected providing DNA samples ( WO66 ); Collected 9 th Sept. 2012 by RJB, during a short walk from the Botanic Gardens to IUCN meeting at Seogwipo (33̊15′10′′N 126̊33′40′′E) from under rocks beside road.

Etymology. Based on location: Seogwipo (noun in apposition).

Description. Length 130 mm; segments 93. Colour greenblue with dark mid-dorsal line in life. Paler in alcohol. Clitellum weak in 14-16. Epilobous. First dorsal pore in 12/13. Setae number 50-60. Spermathecae in 6/7/8/9 about 0.3 C apart. Female pore on 14. Male pores in small C-shaped pouches with 12 setae intervening. No genital markings.

Internally, nephridial in 5 & 6. Septa 8/9/10 aborted around muscular gizzard. Hearts in 10-13. Spermathecae, probably not fully formed, with saccular ampulla on long- er duct, and with elongate uninseminated diverticulum that is straight rather than folded. A small stalked gland associated with spermatheca in 7 & 8 ectally (not in 9 nor near prostates). Holandric, with iridescent testis in small sacs in 10 & 11 posteriorly, seminal vesicles in 11 & 12 anteriorly. Prostates on thick duct. Ovaries small in 13, ovisacs absent. Oesophagus dilated and vasculariz- ed in 13; intestine from 1/215; caeca from 27 incised ventrally. Typhlosole not noted.

Remarks. Although possibly not fully mature, apparent differences from the nominal taxon are lack of noticeable saccular bodies on male and spermathecal pores, and absence of paired spermathecal glands that are shown consistently in Kobayashi’s work. Moreover, only a dozen setae intervene between male pores rather than 18-21 as in M. quelparta proper. It is somewhat similar, but differs from M. haenyeo , not least by having longer sperma-

1 mm

thecal diverticula although DNA data indicates slight (~3%) separation.

Full relationships require comparison with new material of nominal M. quelparta which had type-localities in Seogwipo as well as Jeju-township and Mt Halla listed by Kobayashi (1937). So far such material has been elusive although both the current and subsequent sub-species come closest.

Figures

Fig. 14. Metaphire quelparta seogwipo sub-sp. nov. holotype showing ventral aspect; prostomium, spermathecae, prostate and caecum in situ.