Amynthas corticis ( Kinberg, 1867 )

Nxele, Thembeka C., 2012, The megadrile fauna (Annelida: Oligochaeta) of Queen Elizabeth Park, South Africa: species composition and distribution within different vegetation types, African Invertebrates 53 (2), pp. 543-543 : 551-552

Amynthas corticis ( Kinberg, 1867)

Perichaeta corticis: Kinberg 1867: 102 .

Megascolex diffringens Baird, 1869: 40 ; Blakemore 2004 b: 127, table 1.

Pheretima heterochaeta (Michaelsen, 1891) : Michaelsen 1913: 417.

Pheretima diffringens: Gates 1954: 227 ; 1972: 177; Ljungström 1972 a: 46.

Amynthas diffringens: Reynolds & Cook 1976: 94 ; Reynolds 1993: 5; Dlamini 2002: 62; Horn et al. 2007: 175; Plisko 2010: 302.

Amynthas corticis: Zicsi & Pajor 1992: 134 ; Zicsi & Reinecke 1992: 156; Zicsi 1998: 74; Blakemore 2004 b: 127, table 1; Plisko 2010: 302.

Type locality: Hawaii, Oahu .

Description:

External: Body length 60–150 mm, width 3–4 mm. Number of segments 80–118. Prostomium epilobous. Setae absent in clitellum in some specimens but present in others. First dorsal pore in 10/11. Clitellum circular on 14–16 with distinct anterior and posterior borders at intersegmental furrows 13/14 and 16/17, mostly orangey in preserved material. Spermathecal pores paired, minute in the four intersegmental furrows 5/6–8/9, ca 0.3 of body circumference apart. Female pore single, minute, on 14. Male pores paired on 18, with swollen porophores. Genital markings on 7–9, paired, small and round-shaped, appearing paler than the body.

Internal: Septa 5/6, 6/7 and 7/8 are somewhat thickened but not to the extent of being muscular, 8/9 and 9/10 missing. Gizzard well developed in 8–10. Intestinal origin in 15. Caeca simple in 27, extending forward to 24. Holandric. Spermathecae paired in 5/6–8/9, large and triangular with simple diverticulum, duct shorter than ampulla, which is triangular. Seminal vesicles big, in 11–12. Prostates in 16–18, missing in 20 specimens.

Material examined: 37 cl.: Woodland, on the side of the road near fence (29°34.810'S 30°19.217'E), 23.ii.2012, 2 cl., NMSA /Olig.06100; Lawn, at the picnic site (29°34.091'S 30°19.276'E), 3040 ft, 24.ii.2012, 3 cl., NMSA /Olig.06108; 1 cl., NMSA /Olig.06159; Indigenous Bush (29°34.357'S 30°19.399'E), 22.ii.2012, 3 cl., NMSA /Olig.06160; Indigenous Bush, big trees, soft moist soil (29°34.219'S 30°19.177'E), 3105 ft, 22.ii.2012, 1 cl., NMSA /Olig.06161; Indigenous Bush, big trees, wet soil, dense cover (29°34.151'S 30°19.263'E), 2996 ft, 22.ii.2012, 19 cl., NMSA /Olig.06114; Plantation, wattle & pine (29°33.655'S 30°18.919'E), 3106 ft, 23.ii.2012, 3 cl., NMSA /Olig.06162; 5 cl., NMSA /Olig.06121 .

Remarks: The species has been reported from almost all over South Africa ( MP, GP, NW, FS, KZN, EC, WC and LP). It is common in the upper layer of soil, mostly in rotting litter in plantations (Plisko 2010) and decomposed sugarcane reed ( Ljungström 1972 a). From NMSAD, it is apparent that this species occupies a wide range of biotopes.