Metaphire posthuma (Vaillant, 1868)

Kharkongor, Ilona J., 2018, Taxonomic and ecological studies on the earthworms (Annelida: Oligochaeta) of West Khasi Hills District, Meghalaya, Records of the Zoological Survey of India 118 (1), pp. 56-56 : 56-

14. Metaphire posthuma (Vaillant, 1868)

1868. Perichaeta posthuma Vaillant, Annls. Sci. Nat. (Ser.5), 10: 228.

1900. Pheretima posthuma : Michaelsen, Das Tierreich, 10: 295.

1980. Metaphire posthuma : Soota & Halder, Rec. zool. Surv. India, 76: 200.

Material examined: 2 ex. Regn. No. IV/ANN/NERC-27. India, Meghalaya, WKH District, Riangdo village , N25 o 39’52.4”; E91 o 04’20.7”; Alt. 971m, 22.vi.2010, coll. I.J.Kharkongor and party.

Diagnosis: Length 75-140 mm. Segments 91-124. Epilobic. Perichaetine. Dorsal pore from 12/13. Spermathecal pores four pairs, minute, superficial, in furrows 5/6/7/8/9. Clitellum 14-16, annular. Female pore single, on 14. Combined male and prostatic pores paired, minute and invaginated on 18. Genital markings paired circular papillae with centres slightly median to male pore lines on setal arcs of 17 and 19, rarely 20.

Septa 8/9 or 9/10 absent. Intestine from 15, intestinal caeca in 27. Ovaries paired in 13. Testis sacs paired, in 10 and 11, the latter larger. Seminal vesicles paired in 10, 11 and 12.

Distribution: INDIA: Meghalaya (RBD, WKHD); Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Bihar, Gujarat, New Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.

Elsewhere: Bangladesh, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Pakistan, Philippines, Seychelles Archipelago, Taiwan, Thailand, USA and Vietnam.

Remarks: This peregrine species has been recorded from only the warmer and low lying parts of Meghalaya. It inhabits the surface soil layer but may sometimes be found in the root zone layer too. It fees on leaf litter, microbes and organic matter present in its habitat. Therefore, it can be classified as an epi-anecic species.