Proandricus thornvillensis Plisko, 1992

Plisko, Jadwiga Danuta, 2003, Eleven new South African earthworms (Oligochaeta: Microchaetidae) with new information on some known species, and an inventory of the microchaetids of KwaZulu-Natal, African Invertebrates 44 (2), pp. 279-325 : 307

Proandricus thornvillensis Plisko, 1992

Proandricus thornvillensis Plisko, 1992: 364 ; Plisko 2000 b: 257; Reynolds & Cook 1993: 21.

Material examined: KwaZulu­Natal: NMSA / Olig. 03443 Midmar Nature Reserve (29º31'56"S: 30º11'15"E) grassland, medium tall grass, 2 cl, and NMSA / Olig. 03444, 13 juv, 25April 2001, AJA and BK; NMSA / Olig. 03201 Camperdown (29º43'S: 30º32'E) Umlaas Road, garden soil, 19 January 2000, 1 cl abscised postclitellarly, H. Deane; NMSA / Olig. 00864 Thornville (29º44'S: 30º24'E) on bank of local stream, 27 November 1989, 7 juv, JDP .

Remarks: The species has been recorded from several scattered sites in the area of Pietermaritzburg (Plisko 1992). It occurs in grasslands, river­banks, riverine bush, always preferring undisturbed habitats. Only once was it recorded from the soil of recently transformed primary grassland into the ornamental garden.

The marleyi species­group

To this group, characterised by spermathecal pores occurring in only two intersegmental furrows 11/12 and 12/13, and with variably thickened four septa 4/5 5/6 6/7 7/8, or with three septa 5/6 7/8 8/9 thickened, are assigned three species: marleyi Michaelsen, 1928 , alatus Plisko, 1996 , and armstrongi Plisko, 2002 .

P. marleyi and alatus were collected in Melmoth area. P. armstrongi is known from the Mount Currie Nature Reserve, being an extension of the south­eastern Drakensberg foothills. No new material for all three species is presently available. Species distribution in KZN is shown in Fig. 7 .

Figures

Fig. 7. The distribution of Proandricus species in KZN. 1 = adami; 2 = adriani; 3 = alatus; 4 = amphius; 5 = armstrongi; 6 = babanango; 7 = beddardi; 8 = bergvillensis; 9 = bourquini; 10 = bulwerensis; 11 = colletti; 12 = crookesi; 13 = entumeni; 14 = gracilis; 15 = hedothecus; 16 = hlatikulu; 17 = injasuti; 18 = ivari; 19 = jasoni; 20 = lovuus; 21 = marleyi; 22 = martensi; 23 = michelleae; 24 = modestus; 25 = oresbiosus; 26 = ortyi; 27 = pajori; 28 = richerti; 29 = setosus; 30 = thornvillensis.