Pheretima vicinipora, James, 2004

James, Samuel W., 2004, New Species Of Amynthas, Pheretima And Pleionogaster (Clitellata: Megascolecidae) Of The Mt. Kitanglad Range, Mindanao Island, Philippines, Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 52 (2), pp. 289-313 : 301-303

Pheretima vicinipora , new species

( Figs. 3A, B )

Material examined. – Holotype - adult ( NMA 003982 ), Philippines, Mindanao Island, Bukidnon Province, Mt. Kitanglad Range , 15 km S, 6 km. E of Baungon, 8 11' N, 124 44.5' E, 1100 m. elevation, collection date unknown; coll. D. Balete.

Etymology. – The species name comes from the very closely spaced spermathecal and male pores.

Description. – Faint brown antero-dorsal pigmentation, dark stripe at mid-dorsal xvii-xl, amputee 50 x 2.7 mm (vii), 2.9 (x), 3.0 mm (xxv),>76 segments (amputee); body cylindrical in cross-section. First dorsal pore 13/14, spermathecal pores 7/8, 0.08 circumference apart, female pore single in xiv, openings of copulatory bursae paired in xviii, 0.037 circumference apart on floor of small pit, in 2 nd setal line, 0 setae between openings. Setae somewhat more crowded ventrally; 52 setae on vii, 40 setae on xx; in vii ZZ: YZ = 1.6, in xx ZZ: YZ = 3.0, no ventral gaps. Clitellum annular xivxvi; spermathecal pores surrounded by narrow raised area ( Fig. 3A ).

Septa all thin, 9/10 absent. Dense tufts of nephridia on anterior faces of 5/6, 6/7; nephridia of intestinal segments located at septum/body wall junction on anterior and posterior faces of septa, during dissection nephridia come away on septa.

Large gizzard in viii, esophagus with low vertical lamellae x-xiii, intestinal origin xvi, simple caeca originating in xxvii, extending forward to xxiii, ventral margins incised; typhlosole xxvii-end, simple fold 0.12 lumen diameter; intestinal wall with 26 longitudinal blood vessels xxvii-xxxix.

Hearts xi-xiii esophageal, commissural vessels vi, vii, ix lateral, ix left side lacking, x both lacking; viii to gizzard; supra-esophageal vessel xi-xiv; extra esophageal vessel joins ventral esophageal wall in x, receives efferent parietoesophageal vessel in xiii.

Ovaries and funnels free in xiii, spermathecae paired in viii with nephridia on ducts; each spermatheca with blocky sacshaped ampulla, broad stout duct, stalked diverticulum attached to ectal portion of duct, terminating in ovate receptacle, stalks long, with one bend closely adherent to spermathecal duct; large glandular mass attached to spermathecal duct adjacent to diverticulum stalk attachment ( Fig. 2J ). Male sexual system holandric, testes and funnels enclosed in paired sacs in x, xi; seminal vesicles xi, xii each with digitate dorsal lobe; vasa deferentia slender, free from body wall en route to ental end of prostatic ducts; each prostate a single racemose mass, occupying xvi-xix, stout muscular duct entering posterior surface of copulatory bursa in xviii; coelomic surface of paired copulatory bursae muscular, lacking glandular or other projections; blocky angular appendage in position of penis, two other pads also dependent from roof of copulatory bursae.

Remarks. – Pheretima vicinipora is similar to P. monoporata in the very close, but slightly wider, spacing of the copulatory bursa openings, but has closely paired spermathecae in viii rather than a single one in vii. In contrast to other Philippine and Indonesian Pheretima with spermathecal pore(s) in 7/8, P. vicinipora has spermathecae in viii rather than in vii. The present species has fewer esophageal hearts than its Philippine species-group members, more numerous setae in the anterior segments and larger dorsal setal gaps. Further distinctive features are the glandular tissue associated with the spermathecae, and the pads attached to the roof of the copulatory bursae rather than flanking the opening on the floor.

Figures

Fig. 3. Spermathecae, and ventral views showing spermathecal pores, female pores, and male pores of P. vicinipora (A, B), P. baungonensis (C, D), Pheretima paucisetosa (E, F), P. alba (G, H), P. rubida (I, J), and P. virgata (K, L, plus M, spermatophore). Symbols: fp, female pore(s); mp, male pores; sp, spermathecal pores.

Fig. 2. Spermathecae, and ventral views showing spermathecal pores, female pores, and male pores of Pheretima quincunxia (A, B), C: setal distribution pattern of P. quincunxia with mid dorsal line of dorsal pores at center, P. diesmosi (D, E), P. rugosa (F, G), and P. monoporata (H, I, with spermatophore). Symbols: fp, female pore(s); mp, male pores; sp, spermathecal pores.