Grania integra Coates & Stacey, 1997

Wit, Pierre De, Rota, Emilia & Erséus, Christer, 2009, Grania (Annelida: Clitellata: Enchytraeidae) of the Great Barrier Reef, Australia, including four new species and a re-description of Grania trichaeta Jamieson, 1977, Zootaxa 2165, pp. 16-38 : 31-33

Grania integra Coates & Stacey, 1997

Grania integra Coates & Stacey, 1997: 74 –76, fig 3. Grania integra ; Rota et al. 2003: 499–501, fig 1.

New material examined: AMS main coll. W.35561: One whole-mounted specimen from Lizard Island, stn. L7. SMNH main coll. 105585: One posteriorly amputated whole-mounted specimen from Lizard Island, stn L12.

Description of new material: Body of the only complete specimen 10.3 mm long, comprising 74 segments. Width 125–130 µm at peristomium, 150–165 µm at IV and 130 µm at XII (n=2). Prostomium 70–75 µm wide, 80–85 µm long. Clitellum in transverse rows of granular gland cells interspersed with hyaline cells at a frequency of 4–5:1. Sperm funnel long, aimed posteriorly and extending through segments XII–XVIII. Sperm sac extends to XXII, egg sac to XXVI. Chaetae, penial apparatuses, and spermathecae conform to earlier descriptions of G. i n t e g r a.

Remarks: Among the species lacking lateral chaetae, G. i n t e g r a is easily recognizable by its characteristic spermathecae, with sac-like ampullae which only occupy the anterior half of V; the short, curved, penial stylets, and the very long sperm funnels, which extend posteriorly from the clitellum. The chaetae are also characteristic with their ental hooks and the slight distal curvature of the shaft.

Distribution and habitat: Darwin Harbour, Northern Territory; Dampier Area, Western Australia, and Lizard Island, Great Barrier Reef (new record). Intertidal, heterogeneous sand.