Amynthas corticis corticis (Kinberg, 1867)

Blakemore, Robert J., 2013, Jeju-do earthworms (Oligochaeta: Megadrilacea) - Quelpart Island revisited, Journal of Species Research 2 (1), pp. 15-54 : 26

Amynthas corticis corticis (Kinberg, 1867)

Material examined. Five mature specimens from Hyomyungsa Temple, Mt Halla collected 12 th June, 2012, one IV0000250394 providing DNA samples ( WO47 redone as w25), the remainder labelled IV0000250395. [IV000 0250399 a sub-adult with same collection data that provided DNA ( WO50 )]. IV0000251208 four mature specimens plus two immatures also identified from Cheonji-yeon Falls, Seogwipo, collected 13 th June, 2012 .

Note. DNA sample WO56 for “ A. agrestis ” was mixed in the lab. possibly with WO47 since it showed 100% megaBLAST agreement with A. corticis .

Remarks. It is one of the most widely cosmopolitan of Megascolecidae , being well-known from China, Japan and Korea including Jeju. Part of an Amynthas corticis species-complex sensu Blakemore (2010b), its many synonyms include Perichaeta heteropoda Goto & Hatai, 1898: 69 from Japan that, although still quoted as a valid taxon from Korea (e.g. Hong and Kim, 2007; 2009; Kim et al., 2009), has long been held in synonymy of A. corticis and moreover, there are twenty synonyms with priority over heteropoda as fully described in Blakemore (2010b). As already noted, Amynthas sangumburi Hong & Kim, 2002 is a probable new synonym of A. corticis , here provisionally retained pending further research by its authors.