Dendrobaena taurica Szederjesi & Csuzdi, 2018

Szederjesi, Tímea, Dányi, László, Kaydan, Mehmet Bora & Csuzdi, Csaba, 2018, Contribution to the knowledge of the earthworm fauna of Turkey with description of three new species (Clitellata: Megadrili), Zootaxa 4496 (1), pp. 160-172 : 166-167

Dendrobaena taurica Szederjesi & Csuzdi , sp. nov.

( Figure 3 )

Holotype. HNHM/17261 1 adult ex., No. 29, Arslanköy, Mersin, SW of the town, under Pinus and Cedrus , N36°59.265' E34°14.818', 1555 m, leg. M.B. Kaydan, 0 1.0 5.2015.

Paratypes. HNHM /17061 1 adult ex., NHMA 1 adult ex., locality and date same as that of the Holotype.

Derivatio nominis. The new species is named after its type locality which is in the Taurus Mts, Turkey.

Diagnosis. Length 45–46 mm, diameter 3–3.5 mm, setae distant. Colour pale, pigmentation lacking. First dorsal pore in 5/6. Clitellum on 25–34, tubercles on 30–32. Male pores on 15, surrounded by glandular crescents. Nephridial pores hardly visible. Three pairs of vesicles in 9, 11, 12, the first pair small. Spermathecae two pairs in 9/10, 10/11, open near the mid-dorsal line. Calciferous glands in 11–12. Last heart in 11, nephridial bladders biscuit-shaped.

External characters. Holotype 45 mm long and 3 mm wide. Number of segments 143. Paratype 46 mm long and 3–3.5 mm wide. Number of segments 146. Colour pale, pigmentation lacking. Prostomium epilobous ¼ closed. First dorsal pore at intersegmental furrow 5/6. Setae distant. Setal arrangement behind clitellum: aa: ab: bc: cd: dd = 2.5:1.25:1.62:1:3.12 ( Fig. 3A ). Male pores on 15, surrounded by glandular crescents, protruding slightly into the neighbouring segments. Nephridial pores hardly seen, the detected ones are aligned just above setal line b. Clitellum on 25–34. Tubercula pubertatis on 30–32. Glandular tumescence on 9, 11 abcd ( Fig. 3B ).

Internal characters (based on holotype and one paratype). No dissepiments notably thickened. Testes and funnels paired in 10–11. Three pairs of seminal vesicles in 9, 11, and 12, the first pair is small. Spermathecae two pairs in 9/10, 10/11 with external openings near the mid-dorsal line (M). Calciferous glands in 11–12. Last hearts in segment 11, with a pair of extraoesophageal vessels in 12. Nephridial bladders biscuit-shaped (octaedra-type). Crop in 15–16, and gizzard in 17–18. Typhlosolis bilobate. Longitudinal musculature is of pinnate type.

Remarks. The new species with pale colour, pinnate musculature and the presence of extraoesophageal vessels seems to be most close to D. szalokii Szederjesi, Pavlíček, Coşkun & Csuzdi, 2014 but differs from it in much smaller body dimensions (45–46 vs. 90–123 mm), the lack of thickened septa, and in the position of the clitellar organs (cl. 25–34, tb. 30–32 vs. cl. 24–½34, tb. ½29–½32).

Figures

FIGURE 3. Dendrobaena taurica sp. nov. A. Setal ratio. B. Ventrolateral view of the forebody, Cl = clitellum, Tb = tubercles, Mp = male pore.