Cernosvitovia dofleini, Popović & Stojanović & Domínguez & Sekulić & Trakić & Marchán, 2022

Popović, Filip J., Stojanović, Mirjana M., Domínguez, Jorge, Sekulić, Jovana M., Trakić, Tan- Ja B. & Marchán, Daniel F., 2022, Molecular analysis of five controversial Balkanic species of Allolobophora (sensu lato) Eisen, 1873 (Lumbricidae, Clitellata) with emendation of the genus Cernosvitovia Omodeo, 1956, Zootaxa 5116 (3), pp. 351-372 : 357-358

Cernosvitovia dofleini comb. nov. ( Ude, 1922)

( Fig. 3 )

Helodrilus dofleini Ude, 1922: 157 .

Eophila dofleini dofleini Šapkarev, 1978: 94 .

Eophila dofleini Omodeo, 1988: 77 .

Serbiona dofleini Mršić, 1991: 180 .

Allolobophora (s. l.) dofleini Csuzdi, 2012: 97–99 ; Stojanović et al. 2017;

Material examined. CEKUS/1492 , CEKUS/1493 2 exp., Serbia, Kopaonik Mt. (Lukovska Banja), 43.166296º N, 21.037749º E, pasture, M. Stojanović, T. Trakić, J. Sekulić and F. Popović, 29.04.202 0 .

Morphological description. External morphology. Body pigmentation light grey to brown in live specimens (Šapkarev gray-brownish; Omodeo brown). White-beige homogeneous color in fixed specimens. Length 120–250 mm (Šapkarev 110–140 mm or 80–240 mm; Mršić 75–104 mm) diameter 5–7 mm. Number of segments 138–287 (Šapkarev 137–292; Omodeo 156–346; Mršić132–227). Prostomium epilobous (Omodeo proepilobous). Longitudinal furrows in first 2 segments. First dorsal pore at intersegmental groove 10/11–11/12. Male aperture with a glandular atrium in 15, connected by seminal grooves to the clitellar bands. Female pores in 14 over setae b. The setal very small and closely paired, with intersetal ratio aa: 9ab, ab>cd, bc=ab, dd=14ab at segment 20 (Ude aa>bc, dd=2/3 u=2aa). Glandular papillae surround setae ab on segments 8–16, or 24–27 (Ude 12–17; Mršić8–16, 18–33 or 24–27 or in 8, 12, 18). Clitellum saddle-shaped in segments 32–43, 44. (Šapkarev 30, 31, 32–43, 44, 45, 1/2 45; Omodeo 30–45, 46; Mršić 30, 31, 32–42, 1/3 43; Stojanović et al. 30, 31, 32–43, 44, 45). Tubercula pubertatis in segments 37, 38–43, 44 (Šapkarev 35, 36, 37, 38–42, 1/2 42, 43, 44; Omodeo 36, 37–43; Mršić 35–42, 1/2 42, 43, 44; Stojanović et al. 35–42, 43, 44).

Internal anatomy. Septa 5/6–10/11 thickened and muscular. Hearts in segments 6–11. Calciferous glands in segment 10. Crop in segments 15–16, gizzard in segments 17–19. The typhlosole is trifid. Testes in 10 and 11, ovaries in 13. Two pairs of seminal vesicles in 11 and 12, first two pairs small and almost round, last two pairs large and in the shape of grapes; two pairs of globular spermathecae in segments 10 and 11. Nephridial bladders U-shaped, the curved (glandular) part is oriented towards the anterior part of the body.

Distribution and ecology. Cernosvitovia dofleini is an endemic species, distributed on the Balkan Peninsula ( Serbia, North Macedonia and Greece). This species is present in mixed forests and pastures at higher altitudes. It belongs to the anecic species.

Remarks. Our specimens of C. dofleini were compatible with the descriptions of several authors ( Ude 1922; Šapkarev, 1978; Omodeo 1988; Mršić 1991; Stojanović et al. 2017), only differing in the shorter extension of the clitellum—3 or 4 segments—from the account in Omodeo (1988) and in the shorter extension of the tubercula pubertatis—2 or 3 segments—from the accounts in Mršić (1991) and Stojanović et al. (2017). This can be explained by our small sample (two studied specimens) and by the common intraspecific variation of these characters in the species of this group, thus not deserving taxonomic consideration. C. dofleini resembles C. zicsica , C. gestroides and Eophila gestro i in several taxonomic characters. However, the number of seminal vesicles and the geographical distribution of this species allow to distinguish C. dofleini from the aforementioned species ( Table 3 ).

Figures

FIGURE 3. External morphology of Cernosvitovia dofleini (Ude, 1922). a. Live specimen. b. Fixed specimen. c. Schematic drawing according to Mršić (1991; p. 181; fig. 49A). Scale bar = 5 cm.