Drawida polydiverticulata Narayanan & Julka

Narayanan, S. Prasanth, Sathrumithra, S., Christopher, G. & Julka, J. M., 2017, New species and new records of earthworms of the genus Drawida from Kerala part of the Western Ghats biodiversity hotspot, India (Oligochaeta, Moniligastridae), ZooKeys 691, pp. 1-18 : 1-3

Drawida polydiverticulata Narayanan & Julka sp. n.

Type material.

Holotype. Clitellate (Reg. no. ZSI/WGRC/IR/INV-8835), Meenthottychola (10°10'21.4"N; 77°02'2.3"E) in Eravikulam National Park, Idukki District, Kerala State, India, 2010 m a.s.l., stream side in shola forest, 22 November 2016, S.P. Narayanan, S. Sathrumithra and G. Christopher coll.

Paratype. 6 clitellate (Reg. no. ZSI/WGRC/IR/INV-8836); same collection data as for holotype.

Other material.

Two aclitellate (ACESSD/EW/721), Pullaradichola (10°11'33.4"N; 77°12'9.7"E) in Anamudi Shola National Park, Idukki District, Kerala State, India, 2113 m a.s.l., from the side of a water logged area within grassland, where recently the exotic wattle plantations has been clear felled, 25 May 2013, S.P. Narayanan, T. Augustine, A. Sasi and S. Sathrumithra coll.; 3 aclitellate (ACESSD/EW/722), Mattuchola (10°14'28.7"N; 77°14'12.9"E) in Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary, Idukki District, Kerala State, India, 1954 m a.s.l., stream side in a grassland, 24 November 2013, T. Augustine, D. Kuriakose, S. Sathrumithra and S.P. Narayanan coll.; 4 aclitellate (ACESSD/EW/723), Pettymudy forest camp shed area (10°10'26.7"N; 77°01'25.6"E) in Eravikulam National Park, Idukki District, Kerala State, India, 1966 m a.s.l., stream side within shola forest, 21 November 2016, S.P. Narayanan, S. Sathrumithra and G. Christopher coll.

Diagnosis.

Length 50-73 mm, diameter 4-5 mm, segments 120-136. Colour bluish. Male pores in 10/11, at centres of oval porophores, at about mid bc. Spermathecal pores in 7/8 at c lines. Genital markings absent. Gizzards number 3-5 in 12-17. Coiled vas deferens mass about one fourth to half of testis sac; vas passing directly into prostate dorsally at about its middle. Prostates glandular ovate and erect, prostatic capsule club-shaped. Spermathecal atria erect in segment 7, each with 4-6 ental lobes. Nephridiopores aligned with d.

Description. Colour bluish (bluish pigmentation in circular muscle layer); body circular in cross section. Dimension: Holotype - 73 mm by 4 mm at segment 9, 120 segments; paratypes - 50-72 mm by 4-5 mm at segment 9, 125-136 segments. Setae lumbricine, closely paired, present from segment 2; setal formula aa = 8-15.2 ab = 1.05-1.95 bc = 13.33-19 cd = 0.28-0.45 dd at segment 8, aa = 11.5-12.67 ab = 0.92-1.08 bc = 9.2-9.5 cd = 0.26-0.31 dd at segment 20. Clitellum annular, at segments 10-13 (4 segments), intersegmental furrows distinct, colour reddish. Spermathecal pores paired, small transverse slits, with tumescent lips, at intersegmental furrow 7/8, aligned with setae c; males pores paired, minute, at intersegmental furrow 10/11, each pore at centre of oval porophore at about mid bc (Fig. 1A, B). Genital markings absent. Nephridiopores present from segment 3, aligned with setae d.

Septa 5/6/7/8/9 slightly muscular. Gizzards 4 in segments 12-15 (holotype), smallest in segment 12 increasing in size progressively; number variable in other specimens, 3 in segments 12-14 or 13-15 (Meenthottychola specimens), 3 in segments 13-15 or 4 in segments 12-15 (Pettymudy specimens), 4 in segments 13-16 (Pullaradichola specimens), 5 in segments 13-17 (Mattuchola specimens); intestine begins in segment 22 ± 1. Last pair of hearts in segment 9; commissures of extra oesophageal vessels present on posterior face of septa 8/9 and 9/10. Testis sacs paired, mostly in segment 10, extending to segment 11; vas deferens long, coiled in a number of hairpin loops aggregated to form a mass about one fourth to half the size of testis sac, passing directly into prostate dorsally at about its middle. Prostates paired, glandular, ovate, erect (may be bent on itself anteriorly or posteriorly) (Fig. 1C); prostatic capsule smooth, club shaped (Fig. 1D); prostatic duct short, slender, narrowed before entering parietes. Spermathecae paired in segment 8; atrium erect in segment 7 and with 4-6 ental lobes arranged in two groups (Fig. 1E, F), spermathecal duct discharges at junction of common ducts of two groups. Ovarian chamber complete, ovisacs short, extending to segment 12-13. Nephridia holoic, avesiculate; functional at segment 10.

Etymology.

The specific epithet ' polydiverticulata ' is after multi-lobed condition of spermathecal atrium.

Type locality.

Meenthottychola (10°10'21.4"N; 77°02'2.3"E) in Eravikulam National Park, Idukki District, Kerala State, India, 2010 m a.s.l., 23 km away from Munnar town, stream side in shola forest. Common vegetation of this region is dominated by Syzygium arnottianum , Ilex denticulata , Michaelia nilagirica , Elaeocarpus recurvatus , and Microtropis ramiflora .

Ingesta.

Coagulum comprising of mineralized soil, rootlets, tiny pieces of bark and leaves.

Distribution.

India: Kerala: District Idukki: Meenthottychola and Pettymudy in Eravikulam National Park, Pullaradichola in Anamudi Shola National Park and Mattuchola in Chinnar Wildlife Sanctuary (Fig. 2).

Habitat.

Shola forest in vicinity of streams; near to stagnant pools or streams in grass lands.

Remarks.

Drawida polydiverticulata sp. n. is distinguishable from all the known species of the genus in having spermathecal atrium with more than two lobes. In one specimen from Pettymudy, spermatheca on right side with one branch of atrium along with lobes extends to segment 8.