Amynthas corticis (Kinberg, 1867)

Kharkongor, Ilona J., 2018, Taxonomic and ecological studies on the earthworms (Annelida: Oligochaeta) of West Khasi Hills District, Meghalaya, Records of the Zoological Survey of India 118 (1), pp. 56-56 : 56-

1. Amynthas corticis (Kinberg, 1867)

1867. Perichaeta corticis Kinberg, Öfv. Kong. Vet-Akad. Förh. Stockholm , 23: 102.

1972. Amynthas diffringens : Sims & Easton, Biol. J. Linn. Soc., 4 (3): 235.

1981. Amynthas corticis, Easton, Bull. Br. Mus. Nat. Hist.(Zool.) , 40 (2): 49.

1995. Amynthas corticis, Julka, Fauna of West Himalaya, 1: 18.

Material examined: 1 ex. Regn. No. IV /ANN/NERC-02. India, Meghalaya, West Khasi Hills District, Nongkhnum-Lailad , N25 o 26’21.8”: E91 o 16’01.4”;Alt. 1377m, 24.vi.2010, coll. I.J.Kharkongor and party ; 6 ex. Regn. No. IV /ANN/ NERC-12. India, Meghalaya, West Khasi Hills District, Pamphyrnai , N 25 o 32’19.5”; E 91 o 20’57.0”; Alt. 1556m, 26.vi.2010, coll. I.J.Kharkongor and party; 4 ex. Regn. No. IV/ANN/NERC-19. India, Meghalaya, West Khasi Hills District, Nongstoiñ-Nongpyndeng , N 25 o 30’38.1”; E 91 o 14’25.5”; Alt. 1382m, 26.vi.2010, coll. I.J.Kharkongor and party; 1 ex. Regn. No. IV/ANN/NERC-20. India, Meghalaya, West Khasi Hills District, Mawthar village , near Puiñsneiñ stream, N 25 o 28’05.0”; E 91 o 15’39.0”; Alt. 1407m, 24.vi.2010, coll. I.J.Kharkongor and party; 4 ex. Regn. No. IV/ANN/NERC-32. India, Meghalaya, West Khasi Hills District, near Langja village , N 25 o 42’27.9”; E 91 o 10’45.0”; Alt. 1062 m, 23.vi.2010, coll. I.J.Kharkongor and party; 1 ex. Regn. No. IV/ANN/NERC-34. India, Meghalaya, West Khasi Hills District, Mawshynrut village , on banks of Riangdo river , N 25 o 40’41.8”; E 91 o 03’15.8”; Alt. 913m, 22.vi.2010, coll. I.J.Kharkongor and party; 1 ex. Regn. No. IV/ANN/NERC-44. India, Meghalaya, West Khasi Hills District, Nongstoiñ – Mawlongphlang, N 25 o 30’32.4”; E 91 o 14’23.5”; Alt. 1379m, 26.vi.2010, coll. I.J.Kharkongor and party.

Diagnosis: Length 40-166 mm; segments 70-118. Epilobic, tongue open. Perichaetine. First dorsal pore in 11/12 or 12/13. Clitellum annular, 14-16, setae absent. Dorsal pore absent. Spermathecal pores four pairs in 5/6-8/9. Genital papillae small, circular to somewhat elliptical discs, paired, presetal and/or post-setal in some or all of 6-9, always near spermathecal pores, in line with spermathecal pores or just median to line of pores. Female pore single in 14. Male pores paired in 18, on depressed corny pads.

Septa 5/6-7/8, 10/11-13/14 thickened, 8/9/10 absent. Gizzard in 8-10. Intestine from 15; intestinal caeca in 27, paired and simple. Spermathecae four pairs in 6-9; ovaries in 13, and testis sacs a pair each in 10 and 11; seminal vesicles paired in 11 and 12.

Distribution: INDIA: Meghalaya (JHD, EKHD, WGHD), Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka, Manipur, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. Elsewhere: Cosmopolitan.

Remarks: It is, herein, recorded for the first time from WKH District. This is the most widely distributed species of the pheretimoid earthworms. It has been recorded in many countries in East and Southeast, Australia, Europe, South America and South Africa. It has been classified as an epigeic and endogeic species of earthworm. It is found living and feeding in the mineral soil at or below the root mat, and also on the surface where there is a rich layer of litter, preferably leaf litter in moist undergrowth.