Polypheretima mantalingahanensis, Aspe & Manasan & Manlavi & Patiluna & Sebido & Obusan & Simbahan & James, 2021

Aspe, Nonillon M., Manasan, Rafael Ethan, Manlavi, Albert B., Patiluna, Ma. Lotus E., Sebido, Maria Asela B., Obusan, Marie Christine M., Simbahan, Jessica F. & James, Samuel W., 2021, The earthworm fauna of Palawan, Philippines with description of nineteen new pheretimoid species (Clitellata: Megascolecidae), Journal of Natural History 55 (11 - 12), pp. 733-797 : 772-774

Polypheretima mantalingahanensis sp. nov.

( Figure 15 )

Material examined

Holotype: adult ( MSUN-A011 ), Mt. Mantalingahan in Brgy. Marinana , municipality of Brooke’s Point, (8.750°N, 117.683°E), 930 m asl, Palawan Province, Philippines, coll. S. James, D. Flores, 24 October 2003 . Paratypes: two adults, one juvenile ( MSUN-A 012), same collection data as for holotype.

Etymology

The species is named after Mt. Mantalingahan, the mountain where the species was collected. With an elevation of 2085 m, Mt. Mantalingahan is the highest peak on Palawan Island.

Diagnosis

Brown worm with adult length 91–124 mm, diameter 3–4 mm; 104–115 segments; two pairs of spermathecal battery pores at 5/6/7; 38–43 setae on vii, 42–49 setae on xx; 11–14 setae between male pores; male openings 0.25 circumference apart ventrally; paired genital markings widely spaced on xix–xxi, in line with male pores; four spermathecae closely aligned on either side of vi; four spermathecae closely aligned on either side of vii; spermathecae small, ampulla pyriform, spermathecal duct short, slender; diverticulum short, attached ectally to duct, terminating in round receptacle; small prostates in xvi–xix; genital marking paddings present from xviii to xxi.

Description

Brown dorsum, pale ventrum, equators unpigmented. Length 91–124 mm (n = 3 adults); diameter 3–4 mm at x, 3.2–3.4 mm at xx; body circular in cross section, tail slightly tapering; 104–115 segments. First dorsal pore at 12/13, two pairs of spermathecal battery pores at intersegments 5/6/7. Female pore single in xiv, openings of male pores paired in xviii, distance between pores 2–3 mm (0.25 circumference apart ventrally), 11–14 setae between pores. Clitellum annular, from xiv to xvi. Setae unevenly distributed around equators in some segments; 38–43 setae on vii, 42–49 setae on xx, dorsal setal gaps present, ventral setal gaps present. Paired genital markings widely spaced on xix–xxi, in line with male pores.

Septa 5/6–8/9 thick, 10/11–13/14 thin, 9/10 lacking. Dense tufts of nephridia on anterior faces of 4/5, 5/6 and 6/7; nephridia of intestinal segments located mainly on body near septum/body wall junction. Large gizzard in ix–x, oesophagus with low vertical lamellae x–xiii, intestinal origin in xiv, caeca lacking. Hearts in x–xiii, oesophageal; commissural vessels in vi, vii and ix lateral.

Ovaries and funnels free in xiii. Spermathecal batteries paired, postseptal in vi and vii. A total of 8 spermathecae on vi, with 4 spermathecae closely aligned in each battery; a total of 8 spermathecae on vii, with 4 spermathecae closely aligned in each battery. Spermathecae small, ampulla pyriform, spermathecal duct short, slender; diverticulum stalk short, attached ectally to duct, terminating in round receptacle; no nephridia on spermathecal ducts. Male sexual system holandric, testes and funnels enclosed in paired ventral sacs in x and xi; seminal vesicles in xi and xii; pseudovesicles in xiii; vasa deferentia slender, free from body wall on way to ental end of prostatic ducts; prostates in xvi–xix, each prostate racemose, compact; muscular duct from lateral margin of prostate forming a C-shaped loop towards the body wall; copulatory bursae shallow. Genital marking paddings present from xviii to xxi.

Remarks

Polypheretima mantalingahanensis sp. nov. belongs to the Po. elongata species group of Easton (1979). Among the members of the Po. elongata group, the new species is relatively similar in length to Po. kalimpaanensis , Po. kinabaluensis , Po. bukidnonensis , Po. mindanaoensis and Po. fleischmani sp. nov. ( Table 2). But the new species has significantly fewer body segments compared to these other species. There are more spermethecae in Po. kinabaluensis and Po. bukidnonensis (6–12 per battery in vi and vii for Po. kinabaluensis and 8–11 per battery in vi, 7–11 per battery in vii for Po. bukidnonensis ) compared with the new species (4 per battery in vi and vii). The new species is also similar to Po. mindanaoensis and Po. bukidnonensis in the distance between male pores, in contrast to Po. kalimpaanensis and Po. fleischmani sp. nov. which have more space between male pores (0.35 and 0.25–0.29, respectively). And like Po. fleischmani sp. nov., it has genital marking paddings in xviii–xxi, in contrast to the other species which have none. However, Po. mindanaoensis , Po. bukidnonensis and Po. fleischmani sp. nov. have a thicker body (4–7 mm) compared with the new species. Also, Po. kalimpaanensis , Po. fleischmani and Po. mindanaoensis have more setae on vii (42–74, 50–53 and 41–53, respectively). The pairs of genital markings in Po. mindanaoensis and Po. fleischmani reach to segment xxv (or xxvi) and xxii, respectively. In addition, Po. kalimpaanensis , Po. bukidnonensis and Po. mindanaoensis have fewer setae between male pores (6–10) compared with the new species, which has 11–14 setae.

Figures

Figure 15. Polypheretima mantalingahanensis sp. nov. (a) External ventral view. (b) Internal dorsal view. (c) Spermathecae. Abbreviations: fp, female pores; gm, genital markings; gmp, genital marking paddings; mp, male pores; p, prostate gland; s, spermathecae; sp, spermathecal pores; sv, seminal vesicles.