Metaphire Sims & Easton, 1972

Plisko, Jadwiga Danuta, 2010, Megadrile earthworm taxa introduced to South African soils (Oligochaeta: Acanthodrilidae, Eudrilidae, Glossoscolecidae, Lumbricidae, Megascolecidae, Ocnerodrilidae), African Invertebrates 51 (2), pp. 289-289 : 304

Genus Metaphire Sims & Easton, 1972

Metaphire californica ( Kinberg, 1867: 102)

Described from Sausolita Bay, San Francisco, California, USA. Known from many parts of the world from variable habitats. In RSA recorded only from experimental plots at Cedara Agriculture College and their close neighbourhood (KZN). Possibly this species has been introduced with seedlings of maize.

Metaphire quadragenaria ( Perrier, 1872: 122)

Described from ‘ Cape of Good Hope. Kapland’ [ RSA]. Redescribed by Horst (1883) as Megascolex capensis . Its occurrence in South Africa was noted by Beddard (1895 b) and Michaelsen (1900, 1910 b, 1913 a, b, 1922), although its endemicity was questioned. Its actual origin is unspecified. Collected from number of sites on oceanic islands, and described under various synonyms. The numerous repetitions under various generic accreditations indicate the species’ appearance in the Cape Peninsula. However, the species’ derivation in this country may not be accepted, because the origin of pheretimoids does not extend to South Africa. Some of the revisions performed on original and synonymic material suggested an optional taxonomic evaluation. Michaelsen (1922) judged both the species capensis and quadragenaria as valid, although indicating noted disaccords. Sims and Easton (1972) and Blakemore (2008 c) place both species in the genus Metaphire .