Glossoscolex anaclaudiae, 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 : 306-308

Glossoscolex anaclaudiae sp. nov. Dudas, Feijoo & Brown

( Figures 6 and 7 )

Holotype. Brazil, one adult specimen, Lages, Santa Catarina, under Eucalyptus trees near a water spring on the campus of the State University of Santa Catarina ( UDESC); 27°47’32.1”S, 50°18’03.8”W; 900 m elevation; November 2002; G.G. Brown coll. Sample ID: BRSC0287 ; deposited at COFM.

Paratype. Brazil, one adult specimen, same collection data as holotype. Sample ID: MZUSP6431 (formerly BRSC0286 of the COFM) .

Other materials. Brazil, two adult specimens cut after the clitellum and three juveniles, same collection data as holotype. Sample ID: BRSC0001 ; deposited at COFM.

Etymology. The name of the species is a tribute to researcher Ana Claudia Rodrigues de Lima in acknowledgement for her many contributions to the knowledge of earthworms and their role in soil quality, especially in Southern Brazil.

External morphology. Holotype: Body length 177 mm after formalin fixation. Body mass 10.15 g (fresh weight preserved in alcohol). Segments 254 without intersegments. Diameter: 8.26 mm in the pre clitellar region (segment X), 10.1 mm in the clitellum (segment XIV) and 7.5 mm in the post clitellar region (segment XXX). Paratype: length 223 mm after fixation, body mass 17.32 g. Number of segments 338. Diameter: 9.58 mm at segment X, 9.8 mm in the clitellum, segment (XIV) and 8.1 mm on segment XXX. Body shape cylindrical, with pinkish pigmentation on the dorsal region. Prostomium prolobic. Setae visible from IX onwards ( Figure 6 ), but after the clitellum they become less visible. Setal arrangement aa:ab:bc:cd:dd, 8.5:1:4.2:1.5:13.2 at segment XXX. Clitellum in 1/3 of XIV–XXV, saddle shape, with dark pink pigmentation. Genital marks absent. One pair of male pores on ventral position in XVII with distance between pores varying from 4.7 to 6.1 mm, located in close proximity with B line, in a pouch shape ( Figure 6 ). Female pores not seen. Nephridiopores near line AB, almost in the middle line of A–B setae.

Internal morphology. Septa membranous in 6/7/8/9/10, strongly attached to the body wall and becoming thin in 15/16/17, passing above the intestine. Gizzard in VI, with average size (width x length) of 2.7 x 3.3 mm. Calciferous glands one pair in XII, with a dark brown color, of composite tubular type located below the seminal vesicles ( Figure 7A ). Intestine commences in XIV without different regions and with typhlosole starting in segment XV, occupying less than half of the intestine, cupped fold shape ( Figure 7C ). Hearts in X–XI, intestinal heart close to the seminal vesicles. One pair of nephridia per segment. Testes sacs in XI, large and iridescent with visible duct connecting to the seminal vesicles, sac-like, in XI ( Figure 7B ). Seminal vesicles extending to XV. Spermathecae absent. One pair of copulatory bulbs, in oval shape in XV–XVIII ( Figure 7B,C ).

Remarks: Glossoscolex anacladiae sp. nov. has clitellum in saddle shape, a format that differs from the type species of the truncatus group, Glossoscolex truncatus (Rosa, 1985) , which has an annular clitellum, same characteristic of Glossoscolex bondari (Michaelsen, 1926) . Although the saddle shape is seen in other Glossoscolex of the truncatus group, such as Glossoscolex bondari , Glossoscolex corderoi , and Glossoscolex pampas , among others, in Glossoscolex anacladiae sp. nov. the clitellum starts in segment XIV as opposed to segment XV, like the species mentioned. One unique characteristic, so far, is the presence of nephridiopores closer of the AB line, instead of only at B line as we saw in other species. The seminal vesicle in Glossoscolex anaclaudiae sp. nov. goes from segment XI–XV, and while the beginning of the vesicles are similar in G. truncatus , G. bondari , G. pampas and G. pastivus , for instance, in each of these species the form and length (last segment) of the vesicles are different. In G. bondari , for example, the seminal vesicle stretches till segment CX. This endogeic species does not appear to leave much evidence of casting on the soil surface, except under thick litter layer of a pine plantation at the “Fazenda Gateados” at the nearby county of Campo Belo do Sul (approximately 27°58’04.0” S, 50°49’58.4” W), Santa Catarina, where only juveniles of the species were encountered. At the UDESC campus both adults and juveniles were collected in a less-disturbed area close to a water source (spring), and recent sampling efforts (June 2024) relocated adults of the species, confirming its continued presence on-site.

Figures

FIGURE 6. Glossoscolex anaclaudiae sp. nov. Holotype, external view showing the setae and the male pores (MP) in segment XVII.

FIGURE 7. Glossoscolex anaclaudiae sp. nov. Holotype, internal view. A. Dorsal view of reproductive structures and the calciferous glands—XII. B. Copulatory bulb—XV–XVIII—close to the scale. C. Dorsal view of the typhlosole—XX. Sp: septa, TS: iridescent testes sac; SV: seminal vesicles; CG: dark brown calciferous glands, Tp: Typhlosole.