Metaphire bahli ( Gates, 1945 )

Nguyen, Tung T., Trinh, Kim-Binh T., Nguyen, Hong-Lan T. & Nguyen, Anh D., 2017, Earthworms (Annelida: Oligochaeta) from islands of Kien Hai District, Kien Giang Province, Vietnam, with descriptions of two new species and one subspecies, Journal of Natural History 51 (15 - 16), pp. 883-915 : 894-896

Metaphire bahli ( Gates, 1945)

( Figure 8 )

Pheretima bahli Gates, 1945: 85 .

Metaphire bahli – Sims & Easton 1972: 239, Blakemore 2016: 11, 22, figs 1, 9A–D, 10.

Material examined

114 matures (CTU-EW 004.07) Hon Tre Island (09°58 ʹ 11 ʹʹ N, 104°50 ʹ 9.4 ʹʹ E), Kien Hai District, Kien Giang Province, 16 October 2014; 132 matures (CTU-EW 004.08) Lai Son Island (09° 47 ʹ 57.6 ʹʹ N, 104°37 ʹ 24.5 ʹʹ E), Kien Hai District , Kien Giang Province, 15 November 2013; 10 matures (CTU-EW 004.09) An Son Island (09°41 ʹ 11.8 ʹʹ N, 104°21 ʹ 10.1 ʹʹ E), Kien Hai District , Kien Giang Province, 13 October 2014, all coll . Kim-Binh T. Trinh.

Diagnosis

Medium size, length 58–100 mm, diameter 3.3–4.4 mm, segments 53–114. Prostomium 2/3 epilobous. First dorsal pore in 12/13. Setal number 39–47 in viii, 40–72 in xxx, 4–5 between male porophores in xviii; setal distance aa = 1.7–2.0 ab, zz = 1.6–2.0 zy. Three pairs of spermathecal pores in lateroventral intersegments 6/7/8/9. Male pores located inside copulatory pouches in xviii. Male region strongly concave to form an ellipsoidshaped or rounded area. Genital markings absent in spermathecal region, but two pairs in 17/18 and 18/19, in line with male pores. Testis sacs separated. Holandric. Intestinal caeca simple. Septa 8/9/10 absent.

Habitats

The species was found in natural forests, fruit plantations and house gardens in the Hon Tre and Lai Son islands.

Remarks

The species is widely distributed in Vietnam (Quang Binh, Thua Thien Hue, Da Nang, Quang Nam, Kon Tum, Gia Lai, Binh Dinh, Dak Lak, Binh Thuan, Khanh Hoa, Ba Ria-Vung Tau, Ho Chi Minh, Dong Nai, Tay Ninh, Tien Giang, Ben Tre, Vinh Long, Can Tho, Tra Vinh, Kien Giang, An Giang) ( Nguyen et al. 2016) . It also occurs in Thailand, Myanmar, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Laos and Cambodia ( Nguyen et al. 2016).

Figures

Figure 8. Metaphire bahli (Gates, 1945). (a, f) Male region (mp = male pore, gm = genital markings); (b, i) ventral view of spermathecal region (sp = spermathecal pore); (c, l) spermathecae (amp = ampulla, dv = diverticulum); (d, k) prostatic gland (ag = accessory gland); (e, j) intestinal caecum; (g) copulatory pouch, transverse body section; (h) accessory gland, transverse body section. Scale bar = 1 mm.