Fimoscolex barettai Dudas, James, Brown and Bartz, 2025

Dudas, Rafaela Tavares, James, Samuel Wooster, Bartz, Marie L. C. & Brown, George Gardner, 2025, New earthworm species of Glossoscolex Leuckart, 1835 and Fimoscolex Michaelsen, 1900 (Clitellata: Glossoscolecidae) from southeastern Brazil, Zootaxa 5589 (1), pp. 321-345 : 327

Fimoscolex barettai Dudas, James, Brown and Bartz sp. nov.

( Figure 5 )

Holotype. Brazil, one adult; Rio de Janeiro, Visconde de Mauá , Resende County, old growth forest, in the soil; latitude, longitude: 22°19”56.29’S, 44°32”32.79’W, elevation: 1.025 m asl; 11 February 2009; D. Baretta, J.M Pereira coll. Sample ID COFM BRRJ0061 .

Paratype. Brazil, one adult; same information as holotype. Sample ID: MZUSP6445 (former COFM BRRJ0062 ) .

Other material. Brazil, four adults, same information as holotype. Sample ID: COFM BRRJ0053 .

Etymology. The name for the species was given in honor of Dr. Dilmar Baretta, professor and former dean of the Universidade do Estado de Santa Catarina (UDESC), who participated in the earthworm sampling done for this paper, and who has supported work on soil fauna (especially earthworms) in Brazil for the last 20 years, providing many specimens and new species for taxonomic work.

External morphology. Holotype: body length: 82 mm, body mass: 0.46 g, after ethanol fixation. Diameter at segment X 2.3 mm, at the clitellum ( XVI) 2.1 mm and at segment XXX 2.4 mm. Number of segments 203. Paratype: length 81 mm, body mass 0.33 g after fixation. Diameter pre clitellar (X) 3mm, at the clitellum ( XVI) 2.7 mm and in the post clitellar region ( XXX) 2.3 mm. Segments 175. Body shape cylindrical. Body pigmentation is absent. Prostomium prolobic with bifurcation at the end. Setae ab and cd commence on IV and become larger after segment 200, genital setae absent. Setal arrangement at XXX-L aa:ab:bc:cd = 24:1:8:1. Clitellum in XVI – XXII, annular ( Figure 5A ). Genital markings absent. One male pore on XVII, on a conical elevation ( Figure 5A ). Female pore not seen. Nephridial pores in B line.

Internal anatomy. Septa 6/7 and 10/11 muscular, as approaching the clitellar segment septa not fully connected to the body wall ( Figure 5B ). Gizzard: with an average size (width x length) of 2 x 0.9 mm. Calciferous glands one pair in XII, of composite tubular structure, sessile on dorsal region and with blood vessels to dorsal part of the gland, opening to esophagus near dorsum. Esophagus-intestine transition origin XV. Typhlosole origin XV. Two pairs of lateroesophageal hearts, kidney-shapes, in X–XI. Lateral blood vessels in VII–IX, supraesophageal vessels not seen. One pair of vesiculated exonephridia per segment. Testes sacs in XI, with seminal vesicles in XII, originating from sacs, via slender duct that loops before expanding in the dorsal side of intestine ( Figure 5B ). Spermathecae absent. One copulatory bulb, lenticular in XV–XIX.

Remarks. Annular clitellum from XVI–XXII occurs in F. barettai sp. nov., F. dorivali sp. nov. and F. pereirai sp. nov., but F. barettai sp. nov. has a notably elongated copulatory bulb occupying five segments (XV–XIX), a feature only shared with F. tairim which has clitellum in XV–XXI and a pair of testes sacs in XI, while F. barettai sp. nov. has a single testes sac in XI.

Figures

FIGURE 5. Fimoscolex barettai sp. nov. Holotype. A. External view showing the male pore (MP) in the middle of the opening, in segment XVII and clitellum on XVI–XXII. B. Internal view, with long seminal vesicles (SV), and septa (Sp) resembling a blanket going from above the structures towards the body wall.