Dichogaster (Diplothecodrilus) saliens ( Beddard, 1893 )

Plisko, Jadwiga Danuta, 2012, An annotated checklist of the South African Acanthodrilidae (Oligochaeta: Acanthodrilidae: Acanthodrilinae, Benhamiinae), Zootaxa 3458, pp. 4-58 : 49-50

Dichogaster (Diplothecodrilus) saliens ( Beddard, 1893)

Microdrilus saliens Beddard, 1893: 683 .

Microdrilus saliens : Reynolds and Cook 976: 166.

Dichogaster crawi Eisen, 1900: 228 .

Dichogaster crawi: Michaelsen 1913a: 418 ; ZMH.

Dichogaster saliens: Ljungström 1972a: 6 ; Reynolds and Cook 1976: 166; Reynolds and Reinecke 1976: 7; Zicsi 1998: 71; Dlamini 2002: 62; Horn and al. 2007: 175.

Dichogaster (Diplothcecodrilus) saliens: Csuzdi 1995: 108, 2000: 66 , 2010: 116; Plisko 2010: 292; NMSAD.

Dichogaster (Diplothcecodrilus) saliens in saliens group: Csuzdi 1996: 358, 2010: 108.

Type locality. UK: potting soil in Kew Gardens, UK.

Species origin unknown, probably West Africa.

Distribution. Csuzdi (1995, 2010) after examination of ‘more than 600 specimens recorded from10 countries’ found it world-widely distributed. (Numerous synonyms in Csuzdi 1995, 2010). In the RSA this is one of the most frequent and abundant Dichogaster species. Known from a number of sites of three provinces. KZN: Durban area; Stamford Hill Rd; Umlalazi Nature Reserve. Pietermaritzburg: Chapel Str.; Voortrekkers Graveyard; Montrose; Town Bush Valley; Scottsville; Ashburton. Baynesfield. Merrivale, Arden Farm. Karkloof Nature Reserve; Safari World. Karkloof, Benvie Farm. Vernon Crookes Nature Reserve. Richmond area. In Eshowe area a range of sites in natural grassland and a variety of cultivated fields. Mapelane Nature Reserve. EC: Mkhabati Forest. LP: Drakensberg, Northern forested part.

Remarks. Type material BMNH 1904.10.5.536–40 as indicated by Reynolds & Cook (1976), not confirmed here. The species occurs in cultivated fields, grasslands and forested areas, and is also common andabundant in protected nature reserves. It may be of interest to note that three specimens collected in Scottsville and recorded by Michaelsen (1913a: 418) under the name of Dichogaster crawi , now D. (D.) saliens (synomized by Csuzdi 1995) are kept in the KZN Museum under NMSA/Olig.00280 and NMSA/Olig.00281; the other eight specimens from the same locality are in ZMH as Dichogaster crawi numbered V-766. Three specimens collected at Chapel Str. are in the tube marked NMSA/Olig.00279.