Metaphire soulensis ( Kobayashi, 1938 )

Blakemore, Robert J., 2013, Ulleung-do earthworms - Dagelet Island revisited, Journal of Species Research 2 (1), pp. 55-68 : 62

Metaphire soulensis ( Kobayashi, 1938)

[ Fig. 7 ]

Material examined. IV0000261242, a mature specimen from Narabunji, dissected and figured, providing DNA sample w46. INV0000261243, three matures from Narabunji their male fields sketched; INV0000261244, one mature posterior amputee from Do-dong; INV00002612 54, two mature specimens from Tongumi; INV0000261 256, two matures from Arae-tongumi, plus INV0000261 247 another three matures from Arae-tongumi.

Description. Length 75-110 mm with about 100 segments. Colour dark brown dorsum with darker mid-line, clitellum buff 14-16. Dorsal pores from 12/13. No spermathecae, no male pores. GMs are group of one to twelve circular papillae lateral on 18 with glands internally. Septa are aborted in 8/9/10 around gizzard. Hearts in 10- 13. Holandric, testis small in 10 & 11, seminal vesicles in 11 & 12. Pseudovesicles seen in 15/16 and 27/28. Ovaries compact in 13 without ovisacs. Oesophagus dilated in 12 & 13, narrow in 15, intestine in 15, with manicate caeca from 27; typhlosole not noted. Dorsal septal glands from 28/29.

Remarks. Twenty clitellate specimens were described by Song & Paik (1969: 17, figs. 7, 33-36) as “ Pheretima sp. 2 ” which was named A. dageletensis sp. nov. based on a Naribunji type by Hong & Kim (2005: 132, fig. 1) who compared this name to “ Amynthas righi Hong & James, 2001 ” (sic lapsus for their A. righii ) that, nevertheless, appears to actually be separate. However, these specimens all comply with prior M. soulensis and its synonyms of Pheretima shinkeiensis Kobayashi, 1938 and Pheretima aokii Ishizuka, 1999 - synonymy as per Blakemore (2003a: 43, b) - plus A. dageletensis Hong et al., 2005 as per Blakemore (2008a; 2008b; 2010) and as confirmed by this study. Its known distribution is Korea and Japan.

Figures

Fig. 7. Metaphire soulensis specimens (all lacking spermathecae and male pores); A. specimen with multi-markings showing ventral aspect; prostomium, 15/16 pseudovesicles, GMs in 18 and manicate caecum; B-D conspecifics encompassing synonyms with fewer GMs.