Ocnerodrilus Eisen, 1878

James, Samuel W., Bartz, Marie L. C. & Brown, George G., 2023, New Ocnerodrilidae genera, species and records from Brazil (Annelida: Crassiclitellata), Zootaxa 5255 (1), pp. 235-269 : 262

Genus Ocnerodrilus Eisen, 1878

Type species: Ocnerodrilus occidentalis Eisen, 1878

Diagnosis: The diagnosis of Righi (1994) is still valid after the description of the present species. It is summarized as follows: setae lumbricine, dorsal pores absent, biprostatic or quadriprostatic, with male pores near prostatic pores in 17/18 or joined to prostatic pores in xvii; Holandric, metagynic, adiverticulate spermathecae in ix. Gizzard absent, calciferous glands paired in ix with a central cavity surrounded by lengthwise lamellae of varying depths.

Remarks: Spermathecae, male organs, including prostates and male pores may be absent in some species with parthenogenetic reductions. Some species have smooth inner walls of the calciferous glands. There are 29 nominal species of Ocnerodrilus , at least 12 of which are probably synonyms of O. occidentalis ( Gates, 1973; Blakemore 2006): O. beddardi Eisen, 1893 , O. guatemalae Eisen, 1893 , O. hendriei Eisen, 1893 , O. sonorae Eisen, 1893 , O. calwoodi Michaelsen, 1898 , O. occidentalis “ var. arizonae ” Eisen, 1900, O. mexicanus Eisen, 1900 , O. comundui Eisen, 1900 , O. sinensis Eisen, 1900 , O. tenellulus Gates, 1945 , and O. asiaticus Chen & Hsu, 1975 . Gates (1973) further considered that O. sabanae Cognetti, 1904 should be considered species incertae sedis because the calciferous glands are not adequately characterized, and O. calwoodi should be placed in synonymy because it might represent the sexual lineage from which the asexual lineage(s) may have been derived. However, that was based on then-current concepts about species status and the appropriateness of naming parthenogenetic groups. Ideas have since changed and in consideration of the morphologically distinct status of O. calwoodi , it should be removed from synonymy. Fragoso & Brown (2007) also called attention to the need for further revision of Ocnerodrilus and closely related genera, considering the discovery of several new species found by Righi (1984) and Righi & FraileMerino (1987), as well as the need for additional sampling, particularly in Central America, where the supposed amphimictic population of O. occidentalis may be found.