taxonID	type	description	language	source
08277ED4DF475A94B3DE382BCCA11460.taxon	description	Figs 1, 2	en	Zhao, Huifeng, Han, Anne Charis N., Liu, Min, Zhang, Yufeng, Aspe, Nonillon M., Miao, Pu, Wu, Donghui (2025): A new pheretimoid earthworm of the genus Metaphire Sims & Easton, 1972 (Oligochaeta, Megascolecidae) from northeastern China with data from the mitochondrial genome. Zoosystematics and Evolution 101 (1): 81-89, DOI: 10.3897/zse.101.136027
08277ED4DF475A94B3DE382BCCA11460.taxon	etymology	Etymology. The specific name refers to the first known distribution range, which is in the Liaoning Province, Northeast China.	en	Zhao, Huifeng, Han, Anne Charis N., Liu, Min, Zhang, Yufeng, Aspe, Nonillon M., Miao, Pu, Wu, Donghui (2025): A new pheretimoid earthworm of the genus Metaphire Sims & Easton, 1972 (Oligochaeta, Megascolecidae) from northeastern China with data from the mitochondrial genome. Zoosystematics and Evolution 101 (1): 81-89, DOI: 10.3897/zse.101.136027
08277ED4DF475A94B3DE382BCCA11460.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis. Medium sized, length 125 – 200 mm, diameter 6.0 – 7.0 mm, number of segments 120 – 145. Prostomium epilobic. First dorsal pore on 12 / 13. Three pairs of spermathecal pores in 6 / 7 / 8 / 9, ventrolaterally positioned. Male pore in XVIII in copulatory pouches (everted); ventral distance between openings of the pouches about 3.4 – 4.5 mm. Preclitellar genital markings small and prominently rounded. Intestinal caeca simple. Septa 8 / 9 / 10 absent. Spermathecael ampulla nearly elliptical, large, surface wrinkled, ampulla duct long, stout with a swollen basal portion. Diverticulum originating from below the swollen portion of the spermathecal duct, stalk slender at the proximal end, enlarged and greatly coiled toward distal end. Accessory glands, sessile, small and round. Prostate glands paired in XVIII, very follicular, extending anteriorly to XV (or XVI) and posteriorly to XX (or XXI), divided into many finger-shaped pieces. Prostatic duct U-shaped and slender.	en	Zhao, Huifeng, Han, Anne Charis N., Liu, Min, Zhang, Yufeng, Aspe, Nonillon M., Miao, Pu, Wu, Donghui (2025): A new pheretimoid earthworm of the genus Metaphire Sims & Easton, 1972 (Oligochaeta, Megascolecidae) from northeastern China with data from the mitochondrial genome. Zoosystematics and Evolution 101 (1): 81-89, DOI: 10.3897/zse.101.136027
08277ED4DF475A94B3DE382BCCA11460.taxon	description	Description. External characters. Length 125 – 200 mm (n = 6). Color of preserved specimens may vary in shades because of the duration of preservation, but generally, dorsum region brown, covering half of the body length and fading to lighter brown towards posterior end with darker brown clitellum, while ventrum part is yellowish brown. Width 6.0 – 7.0 mm, segments 120 – 145. Prostomium epilobous (Fig. 1 A). First dorsal pore on 12 / 13. Clitellum annular at XIV – XVI; setae or dorsal pores and intersegmental furrow absent. Setal arrangement perichaetine; setae number 43 (V), 56 (IX), 70 (XIII). Setae between male porophores: 12 – 20 (20 setae count if reaching on porophore). Female pore single in slit-like opening, medioventral at XIV. Spermathecal pores three pairs, 6 / 7 – 8 / 9, ventrolateral; each pore is located inside a transverse slit cave-like opening with ridges in the lip opening, 0.28 – 0.30 C apart ventrally. Pre-clitellar genital markings small and prominently rounded with diameters ranging from 0.3 to 0.6 mm, presetal on VII, XIII, and IX, 2 – 6 genital markings (rarely absent or with inconspicuous genital markings), paired or unilateral (rarely), located medio-vental to spermathecal pore slit opening, widely spaced 0.21 – 0.26 C apart ventrally (Fig. 1 B). Male pores paired in XVIII (Fig. 1 D), situated ventro-laterally at everted copulatory pouches (diameters ranging 1.8 – 2.5 mm); ventral distance between openings of the pouches 3.4 – 4.5 mm. All specimens displayed everted copulatory pouches and 2 – 3 male pore tubercles in each porophore (upper tubercles larger than lower tubercles). Post-clitellar genital marking absent. Internal characters. Septa 8 / 9 / 10 aborted, 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 thick and muscular, 10 / 11 / 12 / 13 uniform thickness, 13 / 14 slightly thickened. Gizzard within IX – X (or only IX), small. Intestine enlarged from XV. Intestinal caeca are simple, originating in XXVII and extending anteriorly to XXIII (Fig. 1 C); however, some caeca extend up until XX. Last pair of hearts in XIII. Spermathecae (Fig. 1 E) three pairs in VII – IX, ampulla nearly elliptical, large, surface flattened and wrinkled, 2.2 – 4.2 mm long, 2.0 – 2.8 mm wide; ampulla duct long, stout, 1.4 – 1.5 mm long, with a swollen basal portion, 1.2 – 1.3 mm wide; diverticulum originating from below the swollen portion of the spermathecal duct, stalk slender at the proximal end 1.2 – 2.3 mm long, enlarged and greatly coiled toward distal end, receptacle is 2.2 – 3.6 mm long. Accessory glands, sessile, small and round. Variations of spermathecae are shown in Fig. 2. Testis sac one pair, connected, in XI. Seminal vesicles are two pairs in XI and XII, well developed, follicular, posterior pair larger, each with a round or oval dorsal lobe. Prostate glands (Fig. 1 F) large, paired in XVIII, follicular, divided into many finger-shaped pieces, extending anteriorly to XV (or XVI) and posteriorly to XX (or XXI). Prostatic duct U-shaped, slender.	en	Zhao, Huifeng, Han, Anne Charis N., Liu, Min, Zhang, Yufeng, Aspe, Nonillon M., Miao, Pu, Wu, Donghui (2025): A new pheretimoid earthworm of the genus Metaphire Sims & Easton, 1972 (Oligochaeta, Megascolecidae) from northeastern China with data from the mitochondrial genome. Zoosystematics and Evolution 101 (1): 81-89, DOI: 10.3897/zse.101.136027
08277ED4DF475A94B3DE382BCCA11460.taxon	distribution	Distribution. Northeastern China (Liaoning province and eastern Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region).	en	Zhao, Huifeng, Han, Anne Charis N., Liu, Min, Zhang, Yufeng, Aspe, Nonillon M., Miao, Pu, Wu, Donghui (2025): A new pheretimoid earthworm of the genus Metaphire Sims & Easton, 1972 (Oligochaeta, Megascolecidae) from northeastern China with data from the mitochondrial genome. Zoosystematics and Evolution 101 (1): 81-89, DOI: 10.3897/zse.101.136027
