Cernosvitovia paratuleskovi, Popović & Stojanović & Domínguez & Sekulić & Trakić & Marchán, 2022

Popović, Filip J., Stojanović, Mirjana M., Domínguez, Jorge, Sekulić, Jovana M., Trakić, Tan- Ja B. & Marchán, Daniel F., 2022, Molecular analysis of five controversial Balkanic species of Allolobophora (sensu lato) Eisen, 1873 (Lumbricidae, Clitellata) with emendation of the genus Cernosvitovia Omodeo, 1956, Zootaxa 5116 (3), pp. 351-372 : 359

Cernosvitovia paratuleskovi comb. nov. ( Šapkarev, 1975)

( Fig. 4 )

Allolobophora paratulreskovi Šapkarev, 1975: 55 .

Eophila paratuleškovi Šapkarev,1987: 94 .

Serbiona paratuleskovi Mršić, 1991: 206 .

Allolobophora (s. l.) paratuleskovi Csuzdi, 2012: 97–99 ; Popović et al. 2020: 66.

Material examined. CEKUS/1029 , CEKUS/1030 , CEKUS/1031 , CEKUS/1032 , CEKUS/1033 , CEKUS/1034 , CEKUS/1035 CEKUS/1036 , CEKUS/1037 9 exp., Serbia, Kopaonik Mt. (Mure) 43.233611º N, 20.7º E, meadow, M. Stojanović, T. Trakić, J. Sekulić and F. Popović, 06.04.2018 ; CEKUS/1038 1 exp., Serbia, Kopaonik Mt. (Semeteš), 43.2958º N, 20.718º E, meadow, M. Stojanović, T. Trakić, J. Sekulić and F. Popović, 17.05.2018 ; CEKUS/1455 , CEKUS/1456 2 exp., Serbia, Kopaonik Mt. (Lukovska Banja), 43.166296º N, 21.037749º E meadow, M. Stojanović, T. Trakić, J. Sekulić and F. Popović, 29.04.202 0 .

Morphological description. External morphology. Body pigmentation brown-gray. Brown-beige in fixed specimens. Length 88–157 mm (Šapkarev 98–150 mm), diameter 6–7 mm. Number of segments 227– 294 (Šapkarev 243–282). Prostomium epilobous. Longitudinal furrows in first 2 segments. First dorsal pore at the intersegmental groove 12/13 or 13/14. The male aperture with a small glandular atrium in 15. Female pores inconspicuous. Distance between the setae in the preclitellum region aa>bc, dd=3bc, bc=9ab. Clitellum annular in segments 36, 37, 38–51, 52, 53 (Šapkarev 36, 37, 38–51, 52, 53, 54). Tubercula pubertatis in segments 46, 47–51, 52, 53 (Šapkarev 47–51, 52, 53).

Internal anatomy. Septa 5/6–11/12 thickened and muscular. Hearts in segments 6–11. Calciferous glands have lateral tubercles in 11. Crop in segments 15–16, gizzard in segment 17–19. The typhlosole is trifid. Testes in 10 and 11, ovaries in 13. Two pairs of seminal vesicles in 11 and 12 and two pairs of globular spermathecae in 10 and 11. Nephridial bladders J-shaped (reclinate), the curved (glandular) part is oriented towards the anterior part of the body.

Distribution and ecology. Cernosvitovia paratuleskovi is known from the Balkan Peninsula, only in Serbia. This species has been found in meadows and oak forests, thus appears to have a preference for natural habitats. It belongs to the anecic species.

Remarks. Apart from our account, the only information available on this species derives from the original description by Šapkarev (1975). Stojanović et al. (2018) found this species in Serbia, but no description was provided and unfortunately, the reference material has not been preserved in our collection. Our studied specimens were identical to the previous description in position of the clitellum and tubercula pubertatis, number and position of seminal vesicles and spermathecae, and other characters. The most similar species to Cernosvitovia paratuleskovi is Allolobophora (s. l.) tuleskovi from Bulgaria. For most of the taxonomic characters (type of prostomium, position of male aperture, position of first dorsal pore, number and position of seminal vesicles and spermathecae and position of clitellum and tubercula pubertatis) Cernosvitovia paratuleskovi and Allolobophora (s. l.) tuleskovi appear to be identical ( Table 4 ). Šapkarev (1975) stated that the main difference between them is in their size: All. (s. l.) tuleskovi (up to 395 segments/ 10 mm) is much longer and wider than C. paratuleskov i (up to 294 segments/ 6 mm). Hence, the taxonomic and biogeographical similarity of the aforementioned species suggests that the species C. paratuleskovi is perhaps a junior synonym of the species All. (s. l.) tuleskovi.

Figures

FIGURE 4. External morphology of Cernosvitovia paratuleskovi (Šapkarev, 1975). a. Live specimen. b. Fixed specimen. c. Schematic drawing according to Mršić (1991; p. 206; fig. 52B). Scale bar = 5 cm.