Scherotheca portcrosana Marchán & Decäens, 2020

Marchán, Daniel F., Decaëns, Thibaud, Díaz Cosín, Darío J., Hedde, Mickaël, Lapied, Emmanuel & Domínguez, Jorge, 2020, French Mediterranean islands as a refuge of relic earthworm species: Cataladrilus porquerollensis sp. nov. and Scherotheca portcrosana sp. nov. (Crassiclitellata, Lumbricidae), European Journal of Taxonomy 701, pp. 1-22 : 11-14

Scherotheca portcrosana Marchán & Decäens sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:663F18D2-A2EA-4B4E-8ED3-55A3FE5B7D57

Fig. 3 , Table 4

Diagnosis

Specimens of Scherotheca portcrosana Marchán & Decäens sp. nov. can be distinguished from other known species of Scherotheca by the position of the clitellum in segments 26–35 (½ 36) and tubercula pubertatis in segments 30–33, position of spermathecae in 12, 13 in addition to a smaller body size and faint pigmentation ( Table 4 ).

Etymology

The species name is derived from Port-Cros, the island inhabited by this species.

Material examined

Holotype FRANCE • adult; Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, Var, Port-Cros Island ; 43.0089º N, 6.41176º E [Locality 3 (PCR8) ( Table 1 )]; 13 Mar. 2018; T. Decaens, E. Lapied, M. Hedde and M. Zwicke leg.; meadow; BOLD Sample ID: EW-PNPC-0174 ; UCMLT.

Paratypes

FRANCE – Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur • 1 spec.; Var, Port-Cros Island ; 43.0042º N, 6.39014º E [Locality 1 (PCR3) ( Table 1 )]; 13 Mar. 2018; T. Decaens, E. Lapied, M. Hedde and M. Zwicke leg.; evergreen oak forest; BOLD SampleID: EW-PNPC-0111 ; UCMLT • 5 specs; same collection data as for preceding; BOLD SampleID: EW-PNPC-0117 , EW-PNPC-0119 , EW-PNPC-0120 , EW-PNPC-0121 , EW-PNPC-0122 ; CEFE • 1 spec.; Var, Port-Cros Island ; 43.0119º N, 6.39384º E [Locality 2 (PCR6) ( Table 1 )]; 13 Mar. 2018; T. Decaens, E. Lapied, M. Hedde and M. Zwicke leg.; mixed pine/evergreen oak forest; BOLD SampleID: EW-PNPC-0237 ; UCMLT • 1 spec.; same collection data as for preceding; BOLD SampleID: EW-PNPC-0242 ; CEFE .

Morphological description

External morphology

Body pigmentation very faint brown-grey. White-beige with dorsal brownish mid-segment brown bands in fixed specimens ( Fig. 3 ).

Average length 80 mm (75–85 mm, n = 2 adults); average diameter 7 mm (6.9–7.1 mm, n = 3 adults); body cylindrical in cross-section; average number of segments 163 (160–166, n = 2 adults; 166 segments in the holotype). Average weight (fixed specimens): 2.13 g (1.89–2.36 g, n = 2 adults). Prostomium epilobous, closed. Longitudinal furrows in segments 1 and 2. First dorsal pore at intersegmental furrow 5/6. Nephridial pores “en solfège” (irregularly distributed). Spermathecal pores at intersegmental furrows 12/13 and 13/ 14 in c. Male pores in segment 15, surrounded by a well-developed porophore. Female pores on segment 14. Clitellum saddle-shaped in segments 26–35 (½ 36). Tubercula pubertatis in segments 30–33. Chaetae small and closely paired, with interchaetal ratio aa: 8, ab: 1, bc: 3.5, cd: 1, dd: 18 at segment 40. Chaetophores/genital papillae in segments 11, 12, 14, 27, 29 and 34–38.

Internal anatomy

Septa 5/6–10/11 thickened and muscular. Hearts in segments 6–11, oesophageal. Calciferous glands in segments 10–14, with diverticula in segment 10. Crop in segments 15–16, gizzard in segments 17–19. Typhlosole pinnate. Male sexual system holandric, testes and funnels (not enclosed in testes sacs, but with sperm present) located ventrally in segments 10 and 11. Four pairs of reniform seminal vesicles in segments 9, 10, 11 and 12, with the latter two pairs being larger. Ovaries and female funnels in segment 13, ovarian receptacles (ovisacs) in segment 14. Two pairs of small globular spermathecae in segments 12 and 13 (intersegments 12/13, 13/14). Nephridial bladders U-shaped, reclinate in segment 30.

Distribution and ecology

Scherotheca portcrosana Marchán & Decäens sp. nov. is known from the island of Port-Cros in the Hyères Archipelago, France. This species has been found in meadows, pine and evergreen oak forests, thus appears to have a preference for natural habitats.

Figures

Fig. 3. External morphology of Scherotheca portcrosana Marchán & Decäens sp. nov. a. Live specimen (© T. Decaëns). b. Fixed specimen. c. Schematic drawing. Abbreviations: cl = clitellum; fp = female pore; mp = male pore; tp = tubercula pubertatis.