Eisenia nordenskioldi mongol, Blakemore, 2013

Blakemore, Robert J., 2013, Earthworms newly from Mongolia (Oligochaeta, Lumbricidae, Eisenia), ZooKeys 285, pp. 1-21 : 4-6

Eisenia nordenskioldi mongol ssp. n. Fig. 2 Tab. 1

Material examined.

Holotype (H), NIBR IV0000261274 (dissected and figured, Fig. 2 , providing DNA - wo63); label details " 2012-7-22 Balji Riverside Coll. T-S Park " (possibly near Onon-Balji Conservation Area) at Dadal (ca. 49°1'2.16"N, 110°37'18.49"E), Khentii Province NE of Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. Paratype P1, IV0000261275 (dissected, providing DNA - wo64) plus six other specimens (P2-7, four mature, two sub-matures, IV0000261276) all labeled " 2012-7-21 Dadal ".

Etymology.

Nominative singular noun in apposition, after natives of Mongolia.

Description.

Body substantial and only slightly trapezoid, posterior barely flattens. Pigment pinkish-grey dorsally in alcohol with ventrum and 9-11 paler laterally; clitellum buff. Lengths 80-110 mm (holotype H 60+50 = 110, paratype P1 80). Segments H 75+67 = 142, P1 131. Prostomium open epilobic (first thought tanylobic in H). Dorsal pores from 3/4 (minute), open from 4/5. Setae closely paired. Tumescences around setae ab on 7 & 11rhs plus 26lhs,27-32 (H); on 7 plus 27-33 (Ps); tumid and pale around lateral setae cd on 8-11 (H, P1). Clitellum saddle-shaped 26-33 (slightly encroaching onto 25 dorsally in some Ps). Tubercula pubertates faint, 29-31 lateral of setal b lines. Nephropores sporadically visible above b or d setal lines, e.g. above d in 9, 13, 14, 23-26, 34, 37, 38, 40, 41; or above b setal lines in some other segments in H. Spermathecal pores paired in 9/10/11 close to mid-D. Female pores in 14 lateral of b. Male pores small in 15 lateral of b just wider than female pores.

Internally, septa 8/9-10/11 slightly thickened. Spermathecae spherical on thin tapering stalks in 9 & 10. Testis and funnels non-iridescent (atrophied?) in 10 & 11. Seminal vesicles paired in 9-12 (smaller in 10). Ovaries compact in 13. Ovisacs vestig ial anteriorly in 14. Hearts in 7-11. Nephridial bladders simple, sausage-shaped (in all segments inspected). Calciferous glands large and moniliform in 11 & 12. Crop in 15-16; muscular gizzard in 17-18 with septum 17/18 to midriff. Intestine proper from 19; slight typhlosole noticeably developing to inverted T-shaped from about 27,28. Gut contents mixed coarse organic material and some soil with mica flakes (i.e., a topsoil species). Apart from some loose gregarines, no parasites were observed in the coelom.

Remarks.

Lack of spermatozoal iridescence indicates parthenogenesis. Eisenia nordenskioldi mongol sub-sp. n. compares to the nominal subspecies and to Eisenia nordenskioldi polypapillata Perel’, 1969 differing from both due, at least, to its arrangement of setal tumescences. Kobayashi (1940 p. 282, 1941 p. 148) redescribed Eisenia nordenskioldi from Manchuria [=Northeast China] and northern Korea, while Zicsi (1972 p. 131) summarized Eisenia nordenskioldi from Pyongyang, North Korea. These taxa are compared in Table 1 . Additionally, the DNA barcodes in Appendix 1 help define new and old taxa.

Figures

Figure 2. A Eisenia nordenskioldi mongol ssp. n. Holotype anterio-ventral view, dorsal prostomium [plus enlargements with that of P 1 boxed], posterior, plus actual setal ratios on 13; spermathecae and calciferous glands in situ, nephridia in 12 & 17 B Eisenia nordenskioldi polypapillata after Perel' (1969: text-fig) for fair use comparison.