Glossoscolex demeijeri, Dudas & Feijoo & Brown, 2025

Dudas, Rafaela Tavares, Feijoo, Alexander & Brown, George G., 2025, Four new large Glossoscolex (Clitellata: Glossoscolecidae) earthworms from Brazil, Zootaxa 5589 (1), pp. 301-320 : 309-311

Glossoscolex demeijeri sp. nov. Dudas, Feijoo & Brown

( Figures 8 , 9 , 10 and 11 )

Holotype. Brazil, one adult specimen, “Área de Proteção Ambiental de Guaraqueçaba”, Paraná, on the road (PR 405, Km 42,9) before the bridge over the River Açungui ; 25°11’10.2”S, - 48°25’52.9”W; elevation 24 m; November 2016; A.A. R de Meijer coll. Sample ID: BRPR0603 ; deposited at COFM.

Paratype. Brazil, one adult specimen, same location as holotype, on the road (PR 405, Km 42,5), 25°11’11.2”S, 48°25’25.2”W; elevation 26 m, collected on October 2015; A.A. R de Meijer coll. Sample ID: MZUSP6432 (formerly BRPR0586 of COFM) .

Other materials. Brazil, one adult specimen, Guaraqueçaba , Paraná, on the road, same location as holotype, April 2013; A.A. R de Meijer coll. Sample ID: BRPR0582 ; deposited at COFM . Brazil, one adult specimen, Guaraqueçaba , Paraná, on the road, same location as paratype, December 2014; A.A. R de Meijer coll. Sample ID: BRPR0583 ; deposited at COFM . Brazil, one adult specimen, Guaraqueçaba , Paraná, on the road; latitude/longitude 25°11’11.2” S, 48°25’56.7” W; elevation: 62 m, April 2015; A.A. R de Meijer coll. Sample ID: BRPR0584 ; deposited at COFM . Brazil, one adult specimen, Guaraqueçaba , Paraná, on the road; latitude/longitude 25°11’11.2” S, 48°25’56.7” W; elevation: 62 m, May 2015; A.A. R de Meijer coll. Sample ID: BRPR0585 ; deposited at COFM. Brazil, one adult specimen, Guaraqueçaba , Paraná, on the road, same location as holotype; September 2015; A.A. R de Meijer coll. Sample ID: BRPR0587 ; deposited at COFM. Brazil, one adult specimen, Guaraqueçaba , Paraná, on the road; latitude/longitude 25°11’11.4” S, 48°25’47.7” W; elevation 28 m, December 2015; A.A. R de Meijer coll. Sample ID: BRPR0603 ; deposited at COFM . Brazil, one adult specimen, Guaraqueçaba , Paraná, on the road, same location as holotype; January 2017; A.A. R de Meijer coll. Sample ID: G1727, deposited at MHNCI . Brazil, one adult specimen, Guaraqueçaba , Paraná, on the road, same location as paratype; May 2018; A.A. R de Meijer coll. Sample ID: G1726, deposited at MHNCI.

Etymology. The species is named in honor of Dr.Andre August Remi de Meijer for his immense contribution to the natural history of the coastal region of the state of Paraná, where for decades he has worked obtaining information on plants, animals and other organisms (e.g., mushrooms), including earthworms like the present species of which all specimens were collected by him.

External morphology. Body shape cylindrical, with brown-reddish pigmentation on the dorsal part and pinkish on the ventral portion, before fixation ( Figures 8 , 9A ). Body length 500 mm to 700 mm before fixation ( Figure 8 ). Holotype: Body length 334 mm to after ethanol fixation. Body mass: 35.4 g (fresh mass, alcohol preserved). Segments 371, with intersegments. Diameter: 14.1 mm in the pre clitellar region (segment X), 16.3 mm in the clitellum (segment XIV) and 15.5 mm in the post clitellar region (segment XXX). Paratype: length 367 mm, body mass: 49.2 g. Number of segments: 196. Diameter: 17.7 mm on segment X, 16.3 mm in the clitellum (XIV) and 15.5 mm in segment XXX. Prostomium epilobic. Setae widely paired; ab visible from segment VI onwards. Setal arrangement at XXX–LXX aa:ab:bc:cd:dd, 9.5:1:7:1.3:10.5. Common C setae are slightly curved but not hooked at the external tip ( Figure 11C ). Clitellum in XV–XXIII ( Figure 9A ), saddle shape. No genital marks. Female pores not visible. One pair of male pores in 18/19, in the AB line, with 6.7 mm distance in between ( Figure 9B ). Nephridiopores open near the B line.

Internal morphology. Septa membranous in 7/8/9/10, strongly attached to the body wall, and thin in 14/15/16, white and weak ( Figure 10A ). Gizzard in VI, strong with average size (width x length) of 5.3 x 4.5 mm. Calciferous glands one pair in XII ( Figure 10A ) of tubular composite type with large dorsal blood vessels. Intestine commences in XIV without different regions and with typhlosole in the beginning of the intestine, also starting in segment XIV, occupying half of the intestine size ( Figure 11B ). Esophageal hearts in X–XI, and with intestinal hearts in XII, below the seminal vesicles ( Figures 10B, C ). One pair of nephridia per segment. Testes sacs large in XI, below seminal vesicles. Seminal vesicles as bags in XII ( Figures 10B, C ) going until segment XV–XVI. Spermathecae absent. Ovaries in XIII, with iridescence. One pair of copulatory bulbs, in bean shape in XVIII–XX ( Figure 10A , 11A ).

Remarks: The prostomium of Glossoscolex demeijeri sp. nov. is epilobic, differentiantig from species like Glossoscolex paulistus , G. klossae , G. amomee , G. montagneri and G. giganteus australis . Another difference between those species and the new Glossoscolex is the beginning of the clitellum that starts in segment XIV, where in other species the beginning is usually in segment XV. However, the format (saddle) remains the same for all these species. The last pair of hearts in Glossoscolex demeijeri sp. nov. is found in segment XII, similar to the type species of the group G. giganteus . Another difference observed between Glossoscolex demeijeri sp. nov. and other species from the giganteus group is the form of the copulatory bulbs, that are bean shaped. In other species shapes such as reniform, ovoid, cylindrical are present. Specimens of G. demeijeri sp. nov. were collected between 2013 and 2018, by walking nearly daily along the road up to the bridge near where the earthworms were collected, and all were found in between Kms 42 and 43 of PR-405. His observations on the species and its habits, including that of crossing the road were published in a book on the many fauna victims of road traffic along highway PR-405 ( de Meijer, 2017). Specimens of another large new Glossoscolex species collected on the top of the nearby Caratuva Massif at around 1,800 m elevation ( Cardoso et al., 2014) are very similar in size, but represent a different species.

Figures

FIGURE 8. Adult individual (BRPR0584) of Glossoscolex demeijeri sp. nov. collected on May 07, 2015, on highway PR-405 (Km 42). The individual measured 70 cm length by 1,5 cm width when alive. Photo: André A.R. de Meijer

FIGURE 9. Glossoscolex demeijeri sp. nov. Holotype, external view. A. latero-dorsal view of first portion of body, with prostomium and clitellum, at XV. B. Setae and male pores on XVII. Pt: prostomium; Ct: clitellum, St: setae, MP: male pore.

FIGURE 10. Glossoscolex demeijeri sp. nov. Holotype, internal view. A. Overview of internal structures. B. View of intestinal hearts, in XII. C. Intestinal heart and seminal vesicles, XII–XIV, XV. Sp: septa; SV: seminal vesicles; CG: calciferous glands; CB: copulatory bulb; It: intestine, IH: intestinal hearts, SV: seminal vesicles.

FIGURE 11. Glossoscolex demeijeri. Holotype, internal view. A. Copulatory bulb, XVIII–XX. B. Typhlosole, XXV C. Common setae of C line, on segment CXV. CB: copulatory bulb, Tp: typhlosole.