Drawida cf. koreana Kobayashi, 1938: 102

Blakemore, Robert J. & Lee, Seunghan, 2013, Survey of Busan Oligochaeta earthworms supported by DNA barcodes, Journal of Species Research 2 (2), pp. 127-144 : 129

2. Drawida cf. koreana Kobayashi, 1938: 102

Material. NIBR-IV 0000261283 (DNA sample H7), mature specimen, 26 th April from Jungang Pk.

Description. Slight blue-grey colour. Length 47 mm. Clitellum 10-13 at least. Dorsal pores absent. Spermathecal pores in atria in 7/8. Male pores on 10/11 protrude on penes. Genital markings are present on 8rhs above setae ab and 10rhs on male pore.

Remarks. The DNA sample H7 (Appendix) agrees 100% with WO23, a specimen from NIBR, Incheon (IV00002 49929) identified as “ Drawida sp. ” and it is possible that both are D. koreana proper. Originally described on 150 or so specimens ranging from “Kyôjô” in North Korea to Gyeonggi-do South Korea, D. koreana is a variable species. Several other specimens in current studies are superficially similar but appear to differ molecularly ( Fig. 1 ). Types of D. koreana are missing - if they ever existed - and there is an urgent need for neotypification, albeit previous and contemporary Korean workers have avoid- ed this for the last 75 yrs! Further study is ongoing to determine intraspecific variation permissible for D. koreana identification using both its morphology and genetics (Blakemore in prep.).

Figures

Fig. 1. MEGA5 Maximum Likelihood phylogram of DNA code results for Busan specimens compared to similar taxa. Solid squares (■) are Busan samples; open circles (○) are unconfirmed GenBank names (from China, Korea or Japan); closed circles(●) are from the author’s Japanese studies.(Sample codes and provisional or new species names are explained in the Appendix legend).