Pheretima bukidnonensis, James, 2004

James, Samuel W., 2004, New Species Of Amynthas, Pheretima And Pleionogaster (Clitellata: Megascolecidae) Of The Mt. Kitanglad Range, Mindanao Island, Philippines, Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 52 (2), pp. 289-313 : 294-295

Pheretima bukidnonensis , new species

( Figs. 1G, H )

Material examined. – Holotype - adult ( NMA 003976 ) Philippines, Mindanao Island, Bukidnon Province, Mt. Kitanglad Range , 17 km S, 7 km E of Baungon, 8 10' N, 124 44' E, 1550 m. elevation, coll. D. Balete, no date.

Etymology. – the species is named after the province where it was collected.

Description. – Dark brown dorsal pigment, pigment diffuse on segmental equators, body 76 x 3.4 mm (vii), 3.5 mm (x), 3.5 mm (xxv), 96 segments; body cylindrical in cross-section, elongate tail tapering. First dorsal pore 12/13, spermathecal pores paired, sublateral in 5/6, 0.38 circumference apart, female pore single in xiv, openings of copulatory bursae paired in xviii, 0.17 circumference apart in 8 th setal line, 10 setal follicles but only 8 setae between openings. Setae more crowded ventrally, 38 setae on vii, 52 setae on xx; in vii ZZ:YZ = 2.0, in xx ZZ:YZ = 2.0; no ventral gaps. Clitellum annular xiv-xvi; no genital markings ( Fig. 1G ).

Septa 4/5-7/8 thin, 8/9, 9/10 very thin, 10/11-12/13 slightly muscular. Nephridia of post-clitellar segments pre- and postseptal on body wall; tufts of nephridia on anterior faces of septa 5/6, 6/7.

Large gizzard in viii, esophagus with vertical lamellae x- 1 / 2 xv, pebble-grained until valvular in xvii, intestinal origin xviii, simple caeca originating in xxvii, extending forward to xix or xviii; typhlosole xxvii-lxiv, simple fold one-third lumen diameter.

Hearts x, xi lateral; xii, xiii esophageal, commissural vessels vi, vii, ix lateral; viii to gizzard; ventral vessel with branches to body wall in viii, ix. Supra-esophageal vessel xii-xv, extraesophageal vessel not traceable.

Ovaries and funnels free in xiii, spermathecae paired in vi with nephridia on spermathecal ducts; each spermatheca with blocky ampulla, stout duct, single stalked diverticulum terminating in ovate receptacle, stalk tightly coiled, closely adherent to spermathecal duct ( Fig. 1H ). Male sexual system holandric, testes and funnels enclosed in paired sacs in x, xi; sacs not connected; seminal vesicles xi, xii, in xii with dorsal lobe; vasa deferentia slender, free from body wall en route to ental end of prostatic ducts; each prostate racemose with two major lobes, stout muscular duct entering copulatory bursa in xviii; coelomic surface of copulatory bursae glandular in appearance, bursae lined with many folds; penes absent.

Remarks. – A further member of the urceolata group, P. bukidnonensis has the glandular covering of the copulatory bursae seen in P. heaneyi , but unlike it lacks penes. Like P. heaneyi it has the intestinal origin in xviii and lateral hearts in x, but also has lateral hearts in xi, a very unusual condition for the genus. The spermathecal pores are uncommonly far apart at 0.38 of the circumference, and the typhlosole is also deeper than in P. kitangladensis and P. baletei but about the same as P. heaneyi .

Figures

Fig. 1. Spermathecae, and external views (ventral except as noted) showing spermathecal pores, female pores, male pores and if present, genital markings, of Pheretima kitangladensis (A, B), P. baletei (C, D), P. heaneyi (E, F), P. bukidnonensis (G. Lateral view of spermathecal pore, ventral view of female and male pores, H), and P. monotheca (I, J). Symbols: fp, female pore(s); mp, male pores; sp, spermathecal pores.