Limnodriloides macinnesi Erséus, 1990

Wang, Hongzhu & Erséus, Christer, 2004, New species of Doliodrilus and other Limnodriloidinae (Oligochaeta, Tubificidae) from Hainan and other parts of the north-west Pacific Ocean, Journal of Natural History 38 (3), pp. 269-299 : 295

Limnodriloides macinnesi Erséus, 1990

(figure 14)

Limnodriloides macinnesi Erséus, 1990a: 291–292 , figure 13.

New material. IHB HANA2000012 a–b, two specimens from SY00-8A . SMNH Main Coll. 43715–43716, two specimens from SY00-8A .

Brief description of new material. Two complete specimens 8.8–9.3 mm long, 69–70 segments. Diameter at XI 0.3–0.4 mm. Prostomium conical or blunt. Clitellum more or less developed in XI–XII. Chaetae 45–50 m m long, about 2.2 m m thick, with upper teeth shorter and much thinner than lower; (two) three to four per bundle anteriorly, (one) two per bundle in post-clitellar segments. Ventral chaetae absent in X–XI. Male pores in mid-XI (figure 14: mp). Chloragogen cells from VI –VII onwards. Vasa deferentia (figure 14: vd) about 200 m m long, 17 m m wide. Atrial ampullae (figure 14: aa) heavily muscular and contractile, about 90 m m long, maximally 73 m m wide when relaxed, but only about 75 m m long, maximally 60–65 m m wide when contracted. Atrial ducts (ad) 70–95 m m long, 19–44 m m wide. Prostatic pads (ppd) 36 m m long. Nuclei of prostatic glands round to oblong, maximally 7 m m long, 5 m m wide. Copulatory sacs (figure 14: cs) 70–75 m m long, 44–53 m m wide. Sperm sac extending through one to three segments within IX–XII. Egg sac absent, or extending through two to six segments in XII–XVII. Spermathecae absent.

Remarks. This species was previously reported from Hong Kong (type locality) and Hawaii (Erséus, 1990a). The new material fits well the original description, but the new specimens are longer than the paratype from Hawaii (about 9 mm, 70 segments versus 6 mm, 53 segments) (the holotype was not intact). The atrial ampullae of the present material are somewhat wider than those of previously studied worms (up to 73 m m wide versus maximally 60 m m wide).

Distribution and habitat. Southern China (new record for Hainan) and Hawaii. Subtidal sands.