Amynthas wuhumontis, Shen, Huei-Ping, Chang, Chih-Han, Li, Chi-Lun, Chih, Wen-Jay & Chen, Jiun-Hong, 2013

Shen, Huei-Ping, Chang, Chih-Han, Li, Chi-Lun, Chih, Wen-Jay & Chen, Jiun-Hong, 2013, Four new earthworm species of the genus Amynthas (Oligochaeta: Megascolecidae) from Kinmen, Taiwan, Zootaxa 3599 (5), pp. 471-482 : 475-477

Amynthas wuhumontis sp. nov.

( Fig. 2 )

Holotype: Clitellate (mature) specimen (121 mm in total length, dissected) collected 22 May 2008 at Mingwang Temple (elevation 33 m), Shanhsi Village, Jinsha, Kinmen by C. L. Li and Y. H. Lin (cat. no. 14-07391).

Paratype: One clitellate collected 22 May 2008 at the entrance of a hiking trail (elevation 52 m), Mt. Wuhu, Kinmen by C. L. Li and Y. H. Lin (cat. no. 14-07387).

Other material. 16 specimens altogether. One clitellate (dissected) collected 1 May 2008 in front of Haiyin Temple (elevation 207 m), Mt. Taiwu, Kinmen by C. L. Li and Y. H. Lin (cat. no. 14-07388); one clitellate collected 22 May 2008 behind Beiyueh Temple (elevation 60 m), Shanhsi, Kinmen by C. L. Li and Y. H. Lin (cat. no. 14-07389); one clitellate collected 19 June 2008 on a hiking trail at Doumen (elevation 78 m), Kinmen by C. L. Li and C. H. Chang (cat. no. 14-07390); six clitellates collected 8 September 2008 on a hiking trail (elevation 42 m), Mt. Wuhu, Kinmen by C. L. Li and S. H. Yang (cat. no. 14-08132); one clitellate and one aclitellate collected 19 June 2008 on a hiking trail at Doumen (elevation 78 m), Kinmen by C. L. Li and C. H. Chang (cat. no. 14- 08133); one aclitellate and one semi-clitellate collected 19 June 2008 near Mt. Taiwu Cemetery (elevation 229 m), Mt. Taiwu, Kinmen by C. L. Li and C. H. Chang (cat. no. 14-08134); two clitellates collected 19 June 2008 on a hiking trail at Doumen (elevation 38 m), Kinmen by C. L. Li and C. H. Chang (cat. no. 14-08135); one clitellate collected 22 May 2008 at the entrance of a hiking trail (elevation 52 m), Mt. Wuhu, Kinmen by C. L. Li and Y. H. Lin (cat. no. 14-08136).

Diagnosis. Small to medium; length (clitellates) 65–134 mm. Segments numbering 78–112. Setae 38–45 in VII, 49–61 in XX, and 7–11 between male pores. First dorsal pore in 11/12 or 12/13. Spermathecal pores lip-like, three pairs in 6/7–8/9, 0.19–0.25 body circumference ventrally apart. Male pores 0.21–0.29 body circumference ventrally apart in XVIII, each on a papilla-like porophore surrounded by three genital papillae: one anterior, one posterior and one medial. Preclitellar genital papillae three or two (widely paired) in presetal VIII–IX. Spermathecae three pairs in VI, VII and VIII or in VI, VIII and IX. Seminal vesicles large, two pairs in XI and XII, each vesicle with a large, round dorsal lobe. Prostate glands large, lobed in XVI–XXI. Prostatic duct large, straight, enlarged in the middle. Accessory glands large, sessile, pad- or tissue-like, corresponding to external genital papillae.

Description. External: Total length (clitellates) 65–134 mm. Weight 0.38–1.15 g. Segments numbering 78–112. Clitellum XIV–XVI, setae and dorsal pores absent, length 2.11–3.93 mm and width 2.69–4.08 mm. Prostomium epilobous. Setae 38–45 in VII, 49–61 in XX, and 7–11 between male pores in XVIII. First dorsal pore in 11/12 or 12/13. Spermathecal pores lip-like, three pairs in intersegmental furrows of 6/7–8/9; distance between paired pores 0.19–0.25 body circumference ventrally apart. Genital papillae three in presetal VIII or widely paired in presetal VIII ( Fig. 2 A); in IX, papillae absent, single median, or same number and arrangement as in VIII. Each papilla round, center depressed, 0.4–0.6 mm in diameter. Female pore single, mid-ventral in XIV. Male pores paired in XVIII, 0.21–0.29 body circumference ventrally apart, each on a papilla-like porophore surrounded by three genital papillae: one anterior, one posterior and one medial. Each papilla round, center depressed, 0.35–0.6 mm in diameter. The male porophore together with the genital papillae are surrounded by three or four diamondshaped skin folds ( Fig. 2 B). Preserved specimens brown to grayish brown in color with dark to light brown clitellum.

Internal: Septa 5/6–7/8 thick, 10/11–13/14 muscular, 8/9/10 absent. Nephridial tufts on anterior faces of 5/6/7. Gizzard large in VIII–X. Intestine enlarged from XV or XVI. Intestinal caeca paired in XXVII, extending anteriorly to XXIII–XXV, each simple, distal end either straight or bent. Esophageal hearts in XI–XIII. Spermathecae three pairs in VI, VII and VIII or in VI, VIII and IX ( Fig. 2 C), ampulla round or elongated ovalshaped, surface wrinkled, 0.9–2.38 mm long and 0.75–2.25 mm wide, spermathecal stalk short, stout, 0.25–0.55 mm in length. Diverticulum with a slender stalk 0.4–0.8 mm long and an elongated oval seminal chamber 0.3–0.62 mm in length. Accessory glands large, sessile, pad- or flower-like, with shallow grooves on the surface, 0.5–1.3 mm long and 0.4–0.95 mm wide, each corresponding to external genital papilla ( Fig. 2 C). Holandric, testes oval, two pairs in ventrally joined sacs in X and XI. Seminal vesicles large, smooth, two pairs in XI and XII, each vesicle with a large, round dorsal lobe. Prostate glands large, occupying four or five segments in XVI–XXI ( Fig. 2 D), divided into several lobules by grooves. Prostatic duct stout, straight, enlarged in the middle. Accessory glands large, sessile, 0.45–1.05 mm long and 0.4–0.85 mm wide, corresponding to external genital papillae ( Fig. 2 D).

DNA barcodes. GenBank accession numbers JQ936599 (14-07391, holotype), JQ936601 (14-07387, paratype), JQ936598 , JQ936600 , and JQ936602 (14-07388, 14-07389 and 14-07390, respectively).

Etymology. The name wuhumontis is given to this species with reference to its type locality at Mt. Wuhu in Kinmen.

Remarks. Amynthas wuhumontis sp. nov. is distributed only in areas around Mt. Wuhu and Mt. Taiwu in east Kinmen. It is fairly similar to Amynthas leucocircus ( Chen, 1933) from the coastal provinces of central China. Both species are sexthecal with spermathecal pores in 6/7–8/9 and have similar numbers of setae and similar papillae arrangement in the male pore region. However, A. leucocircus is larger with a body size of 140–212 mm long and 4–7 mm wide; it has papillae in postsetal VII–VIII, four pairs of hearts in X–XIII, small seminal vesicles, and stalked accessory glands ( Chen 1933). A. wuhumontis is smaller (65–134 mm in total length and 2.69–4.08 mm in width), and has papillae in presetal VIII–IX, three pairs of hearts in XI–XIII, large seminal vesicles, and sessile accessory glands. Furthermore, the ventral distance between paired spermathecal pores is wider in A. leucocircus (about 1/3 body circumference) than that in A. wuhumontis (0.19–0.25 body circumference).

The soil pH (H2O) values of the localities where the specimens of A. wuhumontis were collected were 4.9–6.48 (unpublished data).

Figures

FIGURE 2. Amynthas wuhumontis sp. nov. Holotype (cat. no. 14 - 07391): (A) ventral view of spermathecal pore region (gp, genital papilla; sp, spermathecal pore); (B) ventral view of male pore region (mp, male porophore); (C) dorsal view of right spermathecae (amp, ampulla; dv, diverticulum; ag, accessory gland); (D) dorsal view of left prostate gland (pd, prostatic duct). Scale bar 1 mm.