Shimodrilus, Julka, J. M., Blanchart, Eric & Chapuis-Lardy, Lydie, 2004

Julka, J. M., Blanchart, Eric & Chapuis-Lardy, Lydie, 2004, New genera and new species of earthworms (Oligochaeta: Octochaetidae) from Western Ghats, South India, Zootaxa 486, pp. 1-27 : 9-11

Genus Shimodrilus gen. nov.

Diagnosis. Prostomium prolobic to proepilobic. Setae lumbricine. Male pores paired, in seminal grooves, on 18; prostatic pores paired, at ends of seminal grooves, on 17 and 19. Oesophagus with a single gizzard in 5; much enlarged in 16 with calciferous ridges extending to 18; discrete calciferous glands, intestinal caeca and supra­intestinal glands absent; typhlosole lamelliform, simple. Penial setae present. Micromeronephridia astomate, exonephric, small paired tufts on body wall in 2–4, on septa in 5–12, in clusters of 4–5 in 13 and posteriad segments; paired, stomate, exonephric megameronephridia lateral to micromeronephridia in 17 and posteriad segments, funnels at or lateral to b lines in bc.

Shimodrilus gen. nov. belongs to a group of Oriental octochaetid genera with a single oesophageal gizzard and stomate exonephric megameronephridia but without discrete calciferous glands. It can be distinguished form other members of the group, Ramiella Stephenson, 1921 , Mallehulla Julka and Rao, 1982 and Konkadrilus Julka, 1988 by the characteristics as given in Table 2 .

Type species. Shimodrilus bhatkalensis sp. nov.

Description. Prostomium prolobic to proepilobic. Setae lumbricine through out body. Clitellum annular. Male pores paired, minute, in seminal grooves on 18; prostatic pores paired, minute, at ends of seminal grooves on 17 and 19. Female pores paired, minute, presetal, within a lines on 14. Spermathecal pores paired, tiny or transverse slits. Genital markings absent. Nephridiopores not recognised.

Unpigmented. Gizzard single, in 5. Discrete calciferous glands absent; oesophagus enlarged in 16 and with internal longitudinal calciferous ridges extending to 18. Supraintestinal glands and intestinal caeca absent; typhlosole simple, lamelliform. Dorsal blood vessel single, complete; supra­oesophageal vessel single, 7–13; subneural vessel absent; extra­oesophageal vessels paired, recognised from 5, joining supra­oesophageal vessel in 8; latero­parietal vessels paired, passing to supra­oesophageal vessel in 13; lateral hearts originating from supra­oesophageal vessel with delicate connectives to dorsal vessel in 10–13. Holandric. Prostates tubular, paired, in 17 and 19. Penial setae present. Spermathecae paired, diverticulate. Ovaries paired, fan­shaped, in 13. Micromeronephridia astomate; exonephric, small paired tufts on body wall in 2–4 and anterior faces of septa 5/6–12/13, in clusters of 4–5 on body wall in 13 and posteriad segments; paired stomate exonephric megameronephridia lateral to micromeronephridia in 17 and posteriad segments, funnels at or lateral to b lines in bc.

Etymology. Shimodrilus , gender masculine, derived from the name of the district ‘Shimoga’ in which it is commonly found, and the Greek word ‘drilos’, meaning the worm.

Remarks. Referred as ‘Genus B’ in Blanchart and Julka (1997).

Tables

TABLE 2. Comparison of Shimodrilus with related genera.

Characteristics Shimodrilus	Ramiella	Mallehulla	Konkadrilus
Setae lumbricine	lumbricine	perichaetine	lumbricine
Oesophageal calciferous 16–18 lamellae	8–11	14–15	16, 16–½17