Pheretima undefined-1

Overview & Synopsis

Pheretima sp. 1Fig. 3, Table 2Material examined.Philippines • one clitellate: Catanduanes province, Catanduanes Island, south of Barangay Summit on Virac-Viga Road, 13°47'N, 124°16'E, 21 May 2001, S. W. James leg. NMA 4815Description.Medium purple-brown dorsal pigment much lighter on segmental equators. Dimensions 128 mm by 5 mm at segment X, 5.5 mm at XXX, 4.5 mm at clitellum, segment 122; body circular in cross-section. Setae 31 at VII, 52 at XX, 6 between male pores, dorsal setae larger, more widely spaced; setal formula AA: AB: YZ: ZZ = 2: 2: 4: 5 at XIII. Clitellum annular XIV – XVI; setae invisible externally. First dorsal pore: 12 / 13. One pair of spermathecal pores in 5 / 6 at the 3 rd setal lines, 1 mm between spermathecal pores, 0.06 of the circumference apart, openings of copulatory bursa paired in XVIII at the 5 th to 6 th setal line, 2.4 mm between openings, 0.14 of the circumference apart. Genital markings lacking.Septa 5 / 6–7 / 8 thick, 8 / 9 very thin, 9 / 10 absent, 10 / 11–11 / 12 thickened, 12 / 13 and 13 / 14 progressively thinner. Gizzard in VIII, intestine begins in XVI, small, paired lymph glands from XXX along the dorsal vessel, intestinal ceca simple originating in XXVII and extending anteriorly to XXIII, finger-shaped sac; typhlosole low-fold from XXVII, 30–32 intestinal blood vessels. Hearts in XI – XIII; X absent; IX lateral; VIII to gizzard; VII lateral with small connections to anterior edge of gizzard.Ovaries and funnels in XIII, one pair of spermathecae in VI with nephridia on ducts, spermathecal ampulla elongate oval; barrel-shaped muscular duct shorter than ampulla; diverticulum chamber elongate oval, no iridescence, diverticulum stalk shorter than ampulla. Holandric male sexual system, testes, and funnels in ventrally paired sacs in X – XI. Seminal vesicles, two pairs in XI – XII with long apical dorsal lobe; small pseudo-vesicles in XIII; prostates in XVIII; stout muscular ducts, straight to top of copulatory bursae without stalked glands; copulatory bursae openings surrounded by three oval pads; wedge-shaped penis gradually increasing in height, laterally supported by bulbous projection from roof, pore at lateral tip of wedge.Remarks.This specimen probably represents another species from the secondary forests of central Catanduanes Island, indicating that our survey did not capture all the earthworm diversity in the area. This specimen had the following distinguishing combination of characteristics: hearts missing in X, septum 8 / 9 present, segmental equators lightly pigmented, head setae fewer than postclitellar setae (31 vs 52), and intestinal origin in XVI. We were not strict with respect to the setal count criterion because of the wide ranges in these counts for most species. Other species that match these characteristics are P. batoensis Hong & James, 2009, P. bicolensis Hong & James, 2009, P. buhiensis Hong & James, 2009, P. gorasi Hong & James, 2009, and P. viracensis Hong & James, 2009 (Table 2). All were from locations close to Mount Isarog or the same as the present taxon, in the case of P. viracensis. The reproductive pore spacing was much larger in P. batoensis and P. viracensis, and both lacked septa 8 / 9. Neither P. buhiensis nor P. gorasi had setae between the male openings (vs six), and the former had far more setae in the postclitellar segments. Pheretima bicolensis lacks typhlosoles and septa 8 / 9, both of which are present in Pheretima sp. 1.