Troglodrilus galarzai ( Giani and Rodriguez, 1988 )

Achurra, Ainara, Chatelliers, Michel Creuze Des & Rodriguez, Pilar, 2012, Troglodrilus jugeti n. sp. (Annelida, Clitellata, Tubificinae), a new stygobiont oligochaete species from south-western Europe, Zootaxa 3229, pp. 35-46 : 43

Troglodrilus galarzai ( Giani and Rodriguez, 1988)

( Figures 3 B, 4G–M, 5C–D, 6; Table 1)

Tubificoides galarzai Giani and Rodriguez, 1988 (partim): Figures 3 and 4 . Tubificoides galarzai: Giani et al., 2001 (partim).

Troglodrilus galarzai (Giani and Rodriguez) Juget et al., 2006 (partim): Figure 2 ; Achurra & Rodriguez, 2008; Timm, 2009 (partim); des Chatelliers et al., 2009 (partim).

Lectotype. MCN16.03/3037: a dissected specimen from Argatxa cave (Santa Eufemia–Ereñozar karst unit, 15 December 1984, UTM coordinates X: 527804, Y: 4800940, Z: 5).

Paralectotype. MCN16.03/3038: a dissected specimen from Argatxa cave (Ereñozar karst unit, 15 December 1984).

Other material. One dissected specimen from the type locality (15 December 1984), 2 dissected specimens from Goiketxe cave (27 December 2007), 27 specimens (8 dissected, 3 whole-mounted and 16 in 70% alcohol) from Artzegi cave (18 October 2007, 7 May 2008, 30 July 2008, 17 June 2009, 17 June 2009), 7 specimens (2 dissected and 5 in 70% alcohol) from Lapurzulo II cave (15 October 2007), 5 dissected specimens from Ubegi II spring (25 October 2007, 25 June 2008), 8 specimens (2 dissected and 6 in 70% alcohol) from Zubialde spring (18 October 2007) and 3 dissected specimens from Mairulegorreta cave (8 November 1987). All in the collection at the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU).

Other localities. In Santa Eufemia-Ereñozar karst unit: Goiketxe cave (UTM coordinates X: 0 537014, Y: 4797642, Z: 40). In Gorbeia karst unit: Artzegi cave (UTM coordinates X: 0 520052, Y: 4762908, Z: 807), Lapurzulo II cave (UTM coordinates X: 0 515247, Y: 4765134, Z: 850), Mairulegorreta cave (UTM coordinates X: 0 5198557, Y: 4763525, Z: 915), Ubegi II spring (UTM coordinates X: 0 516270, Y: 4766001, Z: 973) and Zubialde spring (UTM coordinates X: 0 520044, Y: 4762955, Z: 818).

Taxonomic remarks. The lectotype and paralectotype were chosen among the syntypes in the National Museum of Natural Sciences (Madrid). Although the original description by Giani and Rodriguez (1988) was only based on the population of Santa Eufemia-Ereñozar karst unit, new material from Gorbeia karst unit barely modifies the range of values of some characters ( Table 1). New measurements of the penial sac and the spermathecal vestibule of the lectotype and paralectotype are given after their re-examination. Main diagnostic characters for the species are: ringed glandular epidermis; comma-shaped atrium with densely granulated epithelial cells in the concave part of the atrium both ental and ectal to the prostate junction, and non granulated epithelial cells in the convex and ectal part ( Fig. 3 B); large prostate, joining the atrium subapically by a stout bundle of canals ( Fig. 3 B); vas deferens ciliated throughout, longer than atrium, about 20–25 µm diameter, entering the atrium apically; penial sac rounded, maximum diameter 80–110 µm (lectotype: 100 µm; paralectotype: 85 µm); thick cuticular penial sheath, of particular form and size (see measurements of characters in Table 1), with longitudinal folds. One pair of spermathecae containing spermatozeugmata; spermathecal duct narrow (25–35 µm) ending in a spherical vestibule, 75–150 µm maximum diameter (paralectotype: 105 µm).

The finding of specimens in different states of development (incompletely mature) in Gorbeia karst unit has revealed details on the formation of the penial sheath. In an early state, the penis is naked and when the formation of the penial sac seems to be completed, a cuticular sheath begins to develop around the penis (d, e, f and h in Fig. 2 ). In the end, the cuticular sheath covers also the internal wall of the penial sac (a and b in Fig. 2 ; Fig. 4 ).

Figures

FIGURE 2. General diagram and morphological characters of the penial sheath in Troglodrilus. Abbreviations: a: length of the collar lining the penial sac, b: width of the collar lining the penial sac, c: total length of the penial sheath, d: proximal diameter of the stalk, e: distal diameter of the stalk, f: medium diameter of the stalk, g: space between the collar and the stalk, calculated as g = b – d, h: length of the stalk.

FIGURE 3. Male duct in Troglodrilus species. A: histological section of the male duct in T. jugeti n. sp.; B: dissected male duct in T. galarzai. Abbreviations: ge: granular epithelium, le: light epithelium, p: penis, pr: prostate gland, ps: penial sac, psh: penial sheath, vd: vas deferens. Scale bars: 50 µm.

FIGURE 4. Differences in the penial sheath between T. jugeti n. sp. and T. galarzai. A – B: Montgelas population; C – F: Crotot population; G – I: Santa Eufemia – Ereñozar population; J – M: Gorbeia population. Scale bars: 50 µm. Arrows point to longitudinal folds in the penial sheaths.