Konkadrilus shimogensis, 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 : 16-19

Konkadrilus shimogensis sp. nov.

Type material: INDIA: Karnataka: holotype ( HAZFS /ZSI An802), clitellate, paratypes ( HAZFS /ZSI An803), 4 aclitellate, 12 clitellate, Sulvalli [13°58'N 74°48'E], 640m, edge (pasture/forest), October 1992 (E. Blanchart).

Additional material: INDIA: Karnataka: coll. E. Blanchart: 51 clitellate, Herbettu [13°55'E 74°45'N], 600–680m, pasture, edge (pasture/forest) October 1991, October 1992; 2 clitellate, Mincha Bare [13°57'N 74°44'E], 660m, forest, October 1992; 1 aclitellate, 3 clitellate, 5 km west of Karni [13°55'N 74°44'E], 580m, forest, October 1992; 19 clitellate, Nakkalu [14°00'N 74°41'E], 740m, forest, October 1992.

Diagnosis. Spermathecal pores paired, on 8 and 9, presetal, about equidistant from setal arcs and intersegmental furrows, at about b lines; female pores paired; vas deferens coiled into several loose loops in 11 and 12, seminal vesicles in 12; last pair of hearts in 12.

K. shimogensis is closely related to K. zicsii Julka, 1988 in having paired spermathecal pores on segments 8 and 9, and last pair of hearts in 12. It is distinguishable from K. zicsii by the location of spermathecal pores about equidistant from setal arc and furrow 8/9 on segment 9 as against slightly posterior to setal arc, paired female pores, vas deferens forming several loops in 11 and 12 and absence of seminal vesicles in 11.

Description. Length 50–62 mm, diameter 1.5–2 mm, 119–133 segments. Prostomium epilobic, tongue closed. First dorsal pore 10/11, sometimes 9/10, 12/13. Clitellum annular, ½13, 13–16. Setae lumbricine, aa = 2–3.2 ab = 0.9–1.4 bc = 1–2 cd = 0.2–0.3 dd on 12, aa = 2.7–3.5 ab = 1.9–2 bc = 2.3–2.7 cd = 0.33–0.40 dd on 24; a, b on 8 or/and 9 sometimes copulatory. Male pores paired, minute, in seminal grooves, at b lines, on 18; prostatic pores paired, minute, at ends of concave seminal grooves on 17 and 19, at a lines. Female pores paired, minute, on 14, antero­median to a lines. Spermathecal pores paired, minute, presetal, on 8 and 9, at about b lines, about equidistant from setal arcs and intersegmental furrows ( Fig. 24 ). Genital markings variously located; paired at ab, presetal on 17, postsetal on 15, 16, 19, intersegmental at 9/10/11 /12, 14/15/16, 20/ 21/22; paired slightly median to seminal grooves, presetal at 18, postsetal at 17, 18, 19, setal at 18, intersegmental at 17/18/19; paired close to midventral line at aa, presetal at 17, postsetal at 16, 18, intersegmental at 14/15/16/17, 20/21/22; single at midventral line, presetal at 17, 18, 19, postsetal at 16, 17, 19, 20, intersegmental at 16/17, 19/20/21; rarely in a cluster of 3–4, close to midventral line at 16/17, presetal or postsetal on 16, presetal on 17.

Unpigmented. Septa 4/5 delicate, 5/6–12/13 slightly muscular. Gizzard in 5; oesophagus with calciferous lamellae in 16; discrete calciferous glands absent. Intestine begins in ½19; typhlosole in 21–96 (76 segments). Last pair of hearts in 12. Testes and male funnels free, in 10 and 11; vas deferens of 10 and 11 coiled into several loose loops in 11 and 12 respectively; seminal vesicles in 12. Prostates paired, tubular, in 17 and 19. Penial setae ( Fig. 25 ) ornamented with broken circles of short spines, shaft bent and slightly undulating, tip pointed, 0.91–1.03 mm long, 21–24 diameter. Spermathecae ( Fig. 26 ) paired in 8 and 9, each with a somewhat club­shaped ental diverticulum, duct longer than ampulla. Copulatory setae ( Fig. 27 ), when present, ornamented with several shallow gouges fringed with fine setae, tip bluntly pointed, 0.6–0.7 mm long, 19–22 diameter. Genital marking glands absent.

Reproduction. Presumably biparental.

Ingesta. Mostly reddish fine mineral soil, some larger quartz particles, decomposed plant rootlets and dark cloloured grains of organic matter.

Ecological data. K. shimogensis inhabits pastures, altitude grassland, edges and forests with various soil properties: OM content 5.2–9.3 g 100g­1 soil, C/N 10.9–14.5, proportion of gravels (> 2 mm) 3–63%, clay content 34–47%, bulk density 0.82–1.29 Mg m­3, pH (water) 4.4–5.7, cations 1.5–14.6 cmol kg­1 soil, CEC 10.2–24.1 cmol kg­1 soil.

Ecological category. Possibly endogeic.

Etymology. The name of the species shimogensis is derived from the district Shimoga in which its type locality is located.

Remarks. Referred as ‘ Konkadrilus sp1 and Konkadrilus sp2 (nr. zicsii Julka)’ in Blanchart and Julka (1997).

Figures

FIGURES 24 – 34. Konkadrilus shimogensis sp. nov. (24 – 27): 24, genital region; 25, penial seta; 26, spermatheca; 27, copulatory seta. Konkadrilus gatesi sp. nov. (28 – 30): 28, genital region; 29, penial seta; 30, spermatheca. Hoplochaetella lavellei sp. nov. (31 – 34): 31, genital region; 32, penial seta; 33, spermatheca; 34, copulatory seta. Scale bar 3.75 mm (24, 31), 2.0 mm (28, 33), 0.7 mm (26, 30), 0.07 mm (25, 27, 29), 0.05 mm (32, 34).