Karmiella sulvalliensis, Julka, J. M., Blanchart, Eric & Chapuis-Lardy, Lydie, 2004

Julka, J. M., Blanchart, Eric & Chapuis-Lardy, Lydie, 2004, New genera and new species of earthworms (Oligochaeta: Octochaetidae) from Western Ghats, South India, Zootaxa 486, pp. 1-27 : 22-23

Karmiella sulvalliensis sp. nov.

Type material: INDIA: Karnataka: holotype ( HAZFS /ZSI An808), clitellate, 1 paratype ( HAZFS /ZSI An809), clitellate, Sulvalli [13°59’N 74°47'E], 640m, forest, October 1992 (E. Blanchart).

Additional material: INDIA: Karnataka: coll. E. Blanchart: 3 clitellate, near Karni, [13°54'N 74°44'E], 680m, forest, October 1992; 1 clitellate, Nakkalu [14°00'N 74°41'E], 740m, forest, October 1992; 3 clitellate, near Karni [13°56'N 74°44'E], forest, October 1991; 1 clitellate, Mincha Bare [13°57'N 74°44'E], 660m, forest, October 1992.

Diagnosis. Spermathecal pores paired, presetal, at a lines, slightly posterior to furrow 7/8 on 8, just in front of setal arc on 9; genital marking present, single, median, at 20; copulatory setae absent, setae a on 8 and 9 slightly enlarged but sigmoid and furnished with a few irregular ridges.

Differences from the only known species of the genus, Karmiella karnatakensis Julka, 1988 are: position of spermathecal pores just behind furrow 7/8 on segment 8 as against on or slightly anterior to setal arc; wider location of spermathecal pores at a lines rather than close to midventral line; presence of genital markings; absence of copulatory setae.

Description. Length 95–156 mm, diameter 4–4.5 mm, 163–171 segments. Prostomium tanylobic. First dorsal pore 5/6. Clitellum annular, 13–17. Setae lumbricine, aa = 1.8–2.2 ab = 0.8–1.0 bc = 0.9–1.1 cd = 0.18–0.22 dd on 12, aa = 2.5–3.7 ab = 1.0–1.1 bc = 1.3–1.8 cd = 0.18–0.21 dd on 24; no setae copulatory, a on 8 and 9 slightly enlarged but sigmoid and ornamented with a few irregular ridges ( Fig. 35 ). Male pores paired, minute, in seminal grooves, on 18, slightly median to a lines; prostatic pores paired, minute, at ends of seminal grooves on 17 and 19, at about a lines; seminal grooves slightly concave or almost straight and slightly bent medially. Female pores paired, minute, on 14, anteromedian to a lines. Spermathecal pores paired, minute, presetal at a lines, slightly posterior to intersegmental furrow 7/8 on 8, slightly anterior to setal arc on 9 ( Fig. 36 ). Genital marking, an epidermal tumescence, single and median, extending laterally to about mid bc, on 20.

Unpigmented. Septa 4/5, 7/8–11/12 muscular, 5/6/7 delicate. Gizzard large, in 5. Oesophagus with a pair of discrete, extramural, reniform calciferous glands, each gland bilobed, one lobe in 15 and the other in 16, both lobes discharging into gut through a common duct close to attachment of septum 15/16; intestine begins in 18, typhlosole 30 to 120 (91 segments); supra­intestinal glands and intestinal caeca absent. Last pair of hearts in 13. Testes and male funnels enclosed in annular sacs, in 10 and 11; seminal vesicles in 9 and 12. Prostates paired, tubular, in 17 and 19. Penial setae ( Fig. 37 ) unornamented, tip recurved, 1.59–1.70 mm long, 17–18 diameter. Spermathecae ( Fig. 38 ) paired, in 8 and 9, each with a median and lateral ental diverticula. Genital marking glands absent.

Reproduction. Presumably biparental.

Ingesta. Fine mineral soil, several pieces of plant roots and leaves, numerous quartz and some rock particles.

Ecological data. This species is restricted to forests with various soil properties: OM content 4.2–9.3 g 100g­1 soil, C/N 14.5–16.8, clay content 20–47%, bulk density 0.86– 1.29 Mg m­3, pH (water) 4.8–to 5.7, cations 4.3–14.6 cmol kg­1 soil, CEC 10.4–24.1 cmol kg­1 soil.

Ecological category. Possibly anecic.

Etymology. The name of the species is derived from its type locality ‘Sulvalli’.

Remarks. Referred as ‘ Karmiella sp1’ in Blanchart and Julka (1997).

Figures

FIGURES 35 – 41. Karmiella sulvalliensis sp. nov. (35 – 38): 35, sigmoid a seta on segment viii; 36, genital region; 37, penial seta; 38, spermatheca. Wahoscolex michaelseni sp. nov. (39 – 41): 39, genital region; 40, penial seta; 41, spermatheca. Scale bar 4.0 mm (36, 39), 0.75 mm (38, 41), 0.065 mm (35, 40), 0.035 mm (37).