Polypheretima taprobanae (Beddard, 1892)

Nguyen, Tung T., Nguyen, Anh D., Tran, Binh T. T. & Blakemore, Robert J., 2016, A comprehensive checklist of earthworm species and subspecies from Vietnam (Annelida: Clitellata: Oligochaeta: Almidae, Eudrilidae, Glossoscolecidae, Lumbricidae, Megascolecidae, Moniligastridae, Ocnerodrilidae, Octochaetidae), Zootaxa 4140 (1), pp. 1-92 : 75-76

Polypheretima taprobanae (Beddard, 1892)

Perichaeta taprobanae Beddard, 1892a: 163 ; Beddard 1895a: 411.

Metapheretima taprobanae— Sims & Easton 1972: 181, 233.

Pheretima (Polypheretima) taprobanae— Thai 1983: 126.

Polypheretima taprobanae— Easton 1979: 45, Fig. 20c; Nakamura 1999: 8; Blakemore 2002: 234, Fig. 2.20; Shen & Yeo 2005: 27, Fig. 5; Blakemore 2007a: 97; Blakemore 2008b; Nguyen V.T. & Tran 2008: 185; Nguyen et al. 2010: 114; Nguyen et al. 2014: 117 , Figs 3, 5.

Perichaeta pauli Michaelsen, 1897: 243 , Fig. 26.

Pheretima taprobanae var. pauli— Michaelsen 1900: 309.

Metapheretima pauli— Sims & Easton 1972: 233.

Pheretima taprobanae— Michaelsen 1900: 308; Gates, 1972: 220; Pham 1995c: 101; Thai 2000a: 310; Huynh 2005a: 50; Nguyen 2014: 112.

See Blakemore (2002, 2012a) for more synonyms.

Type locality. Sri Lanka.

Type material. In the collection of Oxford University Museum, England.

Examined material. 6 C (SORC-V.241.2) Quang Binh Prov., Bo Trach Distr., Tan Trach commune, 18/05/ 1991, coll. Nguyen Van Thuan ; 1 C (SORC-V.241.6) Quang Binh Prov., Tuyen Hoa Distr., Mai Hoa commune, tea planted hill, 20 August 1991, coll. Nguyen Duc Tan ; 1 C (SORC-V.241.3) Quang Nam Prov., Nui Thanh Distr., Ky Ha , 24 January 1989, coll. Pham Thi Hong Ha ; 1 C, 1 A (SORC-V.241.6) Quang Ngai Prov., garden, 30 November 1994, coll. Cao Van Sung ; 3 C (CTU-W.027.01) Vinh Long Prov., Vung Liem Distr., Trung Thanh commune, 9 November 2008, coll. Nguyen Thi Nhi .

Records from Vietnam. Nghe An (Quy Hop) ; Quang Binh (Tuyen Hoa; Minh Hoa; Quang Trach; Bo Trach) ; Quang Tri (Quang Tri; Huong Hoa); Thua Thien Hue (Huong Dien; Hue city) ; Da Nang (Hoa Vang) ; Quang Nam (Que Son; Hiep Duc; Nui Thanh; Tien Phuoc; Tra My) ; Quang Ngai (Tu Nghia) ; Gia Lai (Pleiku city) ; Binh Dinh ; Vinh Long (Vung Liem) (Do 1994; Nguyen 1994; Pham 1995c; Huynh 1996; Nguyen V.T. & Tran 2008; Nguyen et al. 2010; Nguyen 2014).

Distribution. A cosmopolitan species ( Blakemore 2002, 2007a).

Vietnamese name. Trùn taproban.

Remarks. The species has been recorded from various parts of the world ( India, Sri Lanka, Seychelles, Brazil, Hawaii, Madagascar, Fiji, Australia, Southeast Asia, Papua New Guinea) ( Blakemore 2002). However, its homeland is still unknown. The species possibly originated in Southeast Asia ( Easton 1979) or in Papua New Guinea ( Gates 1972).