Pheretima alba, James, 2004

James, Samuel W., 2004, New Species Of Amynthas, Pheretima And Pleionogaster (Clitellata: Megascolecidae) Of The Mt. Kitanglad Range, Mindanao Island, Philippines, Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 52 (2), pp. 289-313 : 304

Pheretima alba , new species

( Figs. 3G, H )

Material examined. – Holotype - preclitellate ( NMA 003985 ), Philippines, Mindanao Island, Bukidnon Province, Mt. Kitanglad Range , 18 km S, 17 km. E of Baungon, 8 9' N, 124 45' E, 1800 m. elevation, coll. D. Balete, no date.

Etymology. – The species name refers to its lack of pigmentation.

Description. – Unpigmented, body 49 x 2.0 mm (vii), 2.5 (x), 2.3 mm (xxv), 104 segments; body cylindrical in crosssection with long taper towards tail. First dorsal pore 13/14, spermathecal pores paired in 7/8, 0.13 circumference apart, female pore single in xiv, openings of copulatory bursae paired in xviii, 0.10 circumference apart in 3 rd setal line, 0 setae between openings. Setae regularly distributed around segmental equators; 38 setae on vii, 36 setae on xx; in vii ZZ: YZ = 2.0, in xx ZZ: YZ = 2.1, no ventral gaps. Clitellum not developed; no genital markings ( Fig. 3G ).

Septa all thin, 8/9, 9/10 not seen. Large gizzard in viii, esophagus with vertical lamellae xi-xiii, intestinal origin xvi, simple caeca originating in xxvii, extending forward to xxv, ventral margin smooth; typhlosole xxvii-lxvi, simple fold 0.25 lumen diameter; 24 longitudinal blood vessels in intestinal wall xxvii- xl.

Hearts x-xiii esophageal, though no supra-esophageal vessel visible in x, commissural vessels vi, vii, ix lateral; viii to gizzard; supra-esophageal vessel xi-xiv, extra-esophageal vessel not seen; efferent parieto-esophageal vessels join esophageal wall in xiii.

Nephridia of intestinal segments pre-and post-septal at septum-body wall junctions, dense tufts of nephridia on anterior faces of 5/6, 6/7.

Ovaries and funnels free in xiii, spermathecae paired, preseptal in vii with nephridia on ducts; each spermatheca with sac-shaped ampulla, broad muscular duct longer than ampulla, stalked diverticulum terminating in sausage-shaped receptacle, stalks with one or two kinks ( Fig. 3H ). Male sexual system holandric, testes and funnels enclosed in paired sacs in x, xi; all sacs separate; seminal vesicles xi, xii with dorsal lobe; vasa deferentia free from body wall en route to ental end of prostatic ducts; each prostate racemose, occupying xvii-xix, bilobed, lobes wrapped around copulatory bursa, stout muscular duct entering apex of vertically-oriented egg-shaped copulatory bursa in xviii; coelomic surface of copulatory bursae muscular, lacking glandular or other projections; no pads, very slender penis from roof of copulatory bursa.

Remarks. – This species also keys to the P. sangirensis group in Sims & Easton (1972), but differs from the previously known species in having the combination of paired spermathecae in vii, intestinal origin in xvi, unpigmented body wall, and an egg-shaped copulatory bursa mounted on its apex, which condition it shares with the monothecal P. monoporata . Additional differences from P. paucisetosa are noted above, plus the lack of pads in the copulatory bursae.

Figures

Fig. 3. Spermathecae, and ventral views showing spermathecal pores, female pores, and male pores of P. vicinipora (A, B), P. baungonensis (C, D), Pheretima paucisetosa (E, F), P. alba (G, H), P. rubida (I, J), and P. virgata (K, L, plus M, spermatophore). Symbols: fp, female pore(s); mp, male pores; sp, spermathecal pores.