Pheretima tanudanensis, Hong & James, 2011

Hong, Yong & James, Samuel W., 2011, New earthworm species of the genus Pheretima (Clitellata: Megascolecidae) from Mountain Province, Philippines, Journal of Natural History 45 (29 - 30), pp. 1769-1788 : 1770-1772

Pheretima tanudanensis sp. nov.

( Figure 1 )

Type material

Holotype: Clitellate (NMA 04373): Philippines, Mountain province, N. side of Tanudan River (17 ◦ 05.08 ′ N, 121 ◦ 08.62 ′ E), 1100 m a.s.l., riparian forest, in soil, 3 April 2001, S. W. James coll. Paratype: 1 clitellate (NMA 04379), same data as for holotype .

Other material

Same data as for holotype, 3 clitellates, 1 aclitellate.

Etymology

The species is named after its type locality near the Tanudan River .

Diagnosis

One pair of ventral spermathecal pores in 6/7 at 7th setal lines, 0.18–0.22 circumference apart; copulatory bursae openings 0.21–0.22 circumference apart, copulatory bursae openings flanked anterior, posterior by semi-circular pads, each penis small knob surrounded by U-shaped collar, intestinal origin in XVI and non-muscular spermathecal ducts.

Description

Medium red-brown dorsal pigment, ventral pigment lighter, only present in preclitellate segments, setal zones unpigmented. Dimensions 75–93 mm by 3.5–4.3 at segment X, 3.4–3.5 mm at XXX, 2.7–2.8 mm at clitellum, segments 64–102; body circular in cross-section. Setae numbering 30–36 at VII, 36–41 at XX; 6–10 between male pores, ventral setae slightly more crowded, setal formula AA:AB:YZ:ZZ = 5:3:4:6 at XIII. Clitellum annular XIV–XVI; setae invisible externally.

First dorsal pores 12/13. One pair of ventral spermathecal pores in 6/7 at 7th setal lines, deep in furrow, ventrolaterally placed, 0.18–0.22 circumference apart; distance between spermathecal pores 2.4 mm. Female pore single in XIV; 0.4–0.5 mm ventral openings of copulatory bursae paired in XVIII at 7th setal lines, ventrolaterally placed, 0.21–0.22 circumference apart; distance between openings 2.3 mm. Genital markings lacking.

Septa 5/6–7/8 thinly muscled, 8/9–9/10 some muscular fibre, but no membrane, 10/11–13/14 thin; many trans-septal muscles IV–VI. Gizzard in VIII–X, intestine begins in XVI, large paired lymph glands from XXVII along dorsal vessel; intestinal caeca simple originating in XXVII, and extending anteriorly about to XXIV, finger-shaped sac; typhlosole 1/5 lumen diameter from XXVI. Hearts in X–XIII oesophageal, VII, VIII to gizzard, IX lateral.

Ovaries and funnels in XIII, spermathecae in VII, with nephridia on ducts; spermatheca with medium to large lenticular ampulla little flattened by gizzard, duct just shorter than ampulla but slender, non-muscular; diverticulum with large oblong iridescent chamber, short slender stalk, partially adherent to spermathecal duct. Male sexual system holandric, testes and funnels in ventrally paired sacs in X, XI. Seminal vesicles two pairs in XI, XII, small elongate dorsal lobes in deep clefts, prostates in XVII–XVIII gland single cordate mass, with stout muscular ducts, passing directly posteriorly from gland to centre of copulatory bursae without coelomic glands; copulatory bursae openings flanked anterior, posterior by semi-circular pads; penis a central knob with U-shaped collar draped around it.

Remarks

There are very few members of the genus Pheretima with spermathecal pores only in 6/7. Pheretima tanudanensis sp. nov. shares the spermathecal pores in 6/7 with Pheretima kalingaensis Hong and James, 2010 and P. aguinaldoi Hong and James, 2010 based on material collected from Kalinga Province, northern Luzon. Pheretima aguinaldoi is the more similar of the two based on intestinal origin and setal arrangment, but differs from Pheretima tanudanensis sp. nov. in having fewer segments, shorter body, and lacking pigment. Pheretima aguinaldoi has spermathecae with thumb-shaped ampullae and muscular ducts, but Pheretima tanudanensis sp. nov. has lenticular-shaped ampullae and non-muscular spermathecal ducts. The copulatory bursa pads are circular in P. aguinaldoi and P. kalingaensis , but semicircular in Pheretima tanudanensis sp. nov.

Figures

Figure 1. Pheretima tanudanensis sp. nov.: (A) ventral view; (B) spermathecae. Scale bars = 5 mm (A), 2 mm (B).