Eisenia nordenskioldi onon, Blakemore, 2013

Blakemore, Robert J., 2013, Earthworms newly from Mongolia (Oligochaeta, Lumbricidae, Eisenia), ZooKeys 285, pp. 1-21 : 6

Eisenia nordenskioldi onon ssp. n. Fig. 3

Material examined.

Holotype (H) NIBR IV0000261277 (mature, dissected, providing DNA sample - wo65) plus six sub-adults provisionally listed as paratypes (IV000061278) and a ‘tail’, all poorly-preserved in same batch from " 2012-7-20 Dadal ". Unidentifiable were ca. 20 specimens (IV0000261279) some having clitella ca. 24-33 and TP ca. 28-30, also poorly-preserved from crowding in a single tube, labelled " 2012-7-21 Dadal ". All specimens collected by NIBR’s Mr T.-S. Park.

Etymology.

Nominative noun in apposition after sample region where Dadal and the upper Onon River are supposed birthplace and likely final resting place of Temüjin (otherwise known as Genghis Khan).

Description.

Body medium sized, H 100 mm. Segments 170. Reddish pink anterior-dorsum to segment 15 otherwise unpigmented. Epilobous. Pale laterally around cd in 8-11 and slightly tumid ab on 11-12 and possibly somewhat on clitellum. First dorsal pore 4/5. Spermathecal pores in 9/10/11 mid-dorsally. Female and male pores slight, lateral of b setae on 14 and 15, respectively. Nephridia sporadically visible lateral of b lines near intersegments (at least on clitellum) otherwise near d lines? Clitellum, pale from 24 dorsally or laterally 25-33, i.e., 24,25-33. TP longitudinally lenticular lateral of b 28-31. External features rather unclear due to poor preservation.

Internally similar to nominal subspecies. Seminal vesicles in 9-12. Testis iridescent, free in 10 & 11. Calciferous glands in 11 & 12, vascularized and extending slightly into adjacent segments. Nephridial bladders sausage-shaped. Gizzard 17-18 and thin inverted T-shaped typhlosole present. Soil with coarse organic debris in gut. No parasites were noted.

Remarks.

The current taxon differs from previously described subspecies ( Tab. 1 and Appendix 2) on its clitellum, TP and tumescences; moreover it appears fertile. Fresher and better preserved material should confirm this analysis. In the meantime, although physically closest to Eisenia nordenskioldi mongol , it is clearly separated objectively on mtDNA data (Appendix 1). This compares to its sibling species-complex: European Eisenia fetida (Savigny, 1826) vs. Eisenia andrei Bouché, 1972 that is claimed to differ molecularly on enzyme gel electrophoresis, e.g. by Jaenike (1982) based on material from New York, but never yet on respective types of either taxon (see Appendix 1 and Discussion).

Figures

Figure 3. A Eisenia nordenskioldi onon ssp. n. Holotype sketched as for Figs 1 - 2 B Allolobophora harbinensis Kobayashi, 1940: fig. 6 (incertae sedis) for comparison.