Drawida koreana austri Blakemore

Blakemore, Robert J., Lee, Seunghan & Seo, Hong-Yul, 2014, Reports of Drawida (Oligochaeta: Moniligastridae) from far East Asia, Journal of Species Research 3 (2), pp. 127-166 : 144-145

13. Drawida koreana austri Blakemore sub-sp. nov.

“ Drawida cf. koreana Kobayashi, 1938: 102 ” in Blakemore & Lee (2013: 129) .

Material. Holotype (H) IV0000261283 (DNA sample H7) mature specimen, 26 th April 2013 from Jungang Pk. (GPS 35.111297, 129.028469), Busan, collector RJB . Paratype (P) IV0000249929 a thin aclitellate mature, dissected, from NIBR facility (GPS 37.564379, 126.638011), Incheon, collected by RJB 3 rd April , 2012 and provisionally identified as “ Drawida cf koreana ” or “ Drawida sp. 1 thin with penis ” providing DNA sample WO23 that agrees 100% with DNA sample H7 (Appendix). Specimens IV 0000261282 several matures possibly same from NIBR carpark collected in rain October, 2012 by RJB .

Etymology. From Latin austri (n) meaning from Southside of Korea.

Description. Pale blue-grey colour (both H and P). Length 48 mm (H) or 70 mm (P) with 123-170 segments, respectively. Prolobous. Clitellum 10-13 at least (H). Dorsal pores absent. Nephropores are visible in d-lines, on clitellum at least. Spermathecal pores in atria in 7/8 below c-lines. Male pores on 10 posteriorly in mid-bc-lines protrude on small penes. Female pores in b-lines on 12 near 11/12. Small genital markings are present on 8rhs above setae ab and 10rhs on male pore in H, absent in P.

Spermathecae on short ducts with small glands associated in 8 (present but not related to genital marking which are absent in P). Male pore on long, coiled vas deferens to glandular prostate. Gizzards in 12-14, i.e., three of. Ovisacs present but not extensive.

Displays surface roaming behaviour in rain and active in Feb. ‾ Oct. at least.

Remarks. Similarity of the current species to Drawida koreana koreana Kobayashi, 1938 is having male pores on 10 and blue colour. Difference from D. japonica ( Michaelsen, 1892) is shown by the short spermathecal duct, short ovisacs and glands corresponding to markings, even if the markings or their pores are not obvious (parasitic?). D. koreana proper has not been confirmed in the present study, but is perhaps a darker blue and slightly larger (“ usually 80-90 mm ”) with mostly two gizzards in 12-13 in (fifteen cases from twenty syntypic) Kyôjô specimens and as typically found in D. japonica , or three in 12-14 ‾ as here ‾ in (fourteen out of twenty) specimens from Ryûjin. Original locations of D. koreana in northern and central Korea, are far from the Busan type-locality and the more southerly distribution of the current taxon.