Metaphire californica (Kinberg, 1867)

Nguyen, Tung T., Lam, Dang H., Trinh, Binh T. K. & Nguyen, Anh D., 2020, The megascolecid earthworms (Annelida, Oligochaeta, Megascolecidae) in the Phu Quoc island, Vietnam, with descriptions of three new species, ZooKeys 932, pp. 1-25 : 1

Metaphire californica (Kinberg, 1867) Fig. 4

Material examined.

21 matures (CTU-EW.136.02), residential gardens, (10°12'20"N, 103°57'53"E), 26 m, 6 November 2016, coll. Lam HD & Trinh TKB.

Diagnosis.

Medium-sized. Prostomium epilobous. First dorsal pore in 12/13. Two pairs of spermathecal pores in lateroventral intersegments 7/8/9. Male pores located inside copulatory pouches in xviii. Genital markings absent in both spermathecal and male regions. Intestinal caeca simple. Holandric. Testis sacs connected. Septa 8/9/10 absent.

Habitats.

The species was found in the residential gardens and natural forests. They live in leaf litter and humid rocks.

Remarks.

Thai et al. (2004) reported this species from the Phu Quoc island, but with question mark " Pheretima californica ?". Comparing to M. californica previously recorded in the mainland of Vietnam, the population of the Phu Quoc island has several differences: septum 10/11 absent, intestinal caeca simple, and testis sacs connected. However, simple intestinal caeca were also reported widely in Myanmar and Taiwan ( Gates 1972; Chang et al. 2009).

Vietnamese name.

Giun california .

Figures

Figure 4. Metaphire californica (Kinberg, 1867) A Male region, ventral view B right spermatheca C right prostatic gland D spermathecal region E intestinal caecum F transection via copulatory pouch. Scale bar: 1 mm.