Periscolex

James, Samuel W. & Gamiette, Franciane, 2016, New species of Dichogaster Beddard, 1888 (Clitellata: Benhamiidae) with additional records of earthworms from Guadeloupe (French West Indies), Zootaxa 4178 (3), pp. 391-408 : 404

Periscolex sp.

( Figure 6 )

Material examined. Adult, Jardin Magguy, N16°01.257', W61°39.283', 283 m asl, pumice-based soils of humid montane forest.

Adult specimen 35 x 2 mm, prostomium tentacular, purple pigmented only in head segments ( Fig. 6 ), no dorsal pores, spermathecal pores in CD 5/6, nephridial pores at D. Clitellum annular xiv–xxii, tubercula pubertatis xx–xxi. Setae lumbricine, widely paired, AB ventral, CD lateral, AB<CD. Gizzard in vi, intestinal origin xvi, typhlosole origin xx, with vertical flanges xx–xxvi, then simple ribbon. One pair calciferous glands attached to dorsal esophageal wall in vii, trabecular sac with fluted internal wall and a central column. Holonephridia long slender folded tubules, large peptonephridial masses on anterior faces of septa in iv, v. Holandric, free; seminal vesicle of xi within that segment, vesicle originating in xii passes through 12/13/ 13 /14 as a thin tube, expanded in xiv, xv. Spermathecae paired in vi, placed laterally below nephridiopore, basal bulbous portion with sperm, apical narrower sac; nearly sessile on body wall.

Remarks. By somatic characters other than the setae this is in the genus Periscolex Cognetti, 1905 , one species of which was previously found in SW Basse Terre in the Monts Caraibes range and described in Csuzdi and Pavliček (2009). Periscolex nevoi Csuzdi & Pavliček, 2009 is perichaetine, is greenish brown dorsally, and has three pairs of spermathecae. The species reported here is lumbricine, unpigmented except for the purple head segments, and has one pair of spermathecae in vi. Lumbricine species are P. brachycystis ( Cognetti, 1905) , P. colombianus (Michaelsen, 1900) , P. ecuadoriensis Zicsi, 1992 , and P. guayamerinensis Zicsi & Csuzdi, 1999 in South and Central America ( Zicsi 1992), plus records of P. brachycystis in Mexico and Cuba (C. Fragoso in litt.). The present individual does not belong to any of the described lumbricine Periscolex , having a single pair of spermathecae in vi and tubercula pubertatis limited to two segments. It is closest to P. brachycystis based on size, tubercula pubertatis and clitellum location.

Figures

FIGURE 6. Periscolex sp., live photo.