Pontoscolex corethrurus (Müller, 1856)

James, Samuel W., Shih, Hsi-Te & Chang, Hsueh-Wen, 2005, Seven new species of Amynthas (Clitellata: Megascolecidae) and new earthworm records from Taiwan, Journal of Natural History 39 (14), pp. 1007-1028 : 1022-1024

Pontoscolex corethrurus (Müller, 1856)

Nanrenshan , Kending, Pingtung County, Taiwan, 22 ° 059030N, 120 ° 509070E; 150 m, 19 October 1996 and 13 July 1998, Chung-Chi Huang coll., NMNS 4054-024 , 4054-025 ; Laiyi , Pingtung County, Taiwan, 22 ° 359080N, 120 ° 389550E; 342 m, 29 July 1999, H.- T. Shih coll., NMNS 4054-026 ; Siaoliouciou Island , Pingtung County, Taiwan, 22 ° 209170N, 120 ° 219420E; 18 m, 23 November 1999, H.- T . Shih and Chung-Chi Huang colls., NMNS 4054-027 ; National Sun Yat-sen University campus, Kiaohsiung City, Taiwan, 22 ° 379570N, 120 ° 159480E; 70 m, 22 September 1999, H.- T. Shih coll., NMNS 4054-028 .

MEGASCOLECIDAE

Pontodrilus litoralis (Grube, 1855)

Pontodrilus litoralis: Easton 1984, p 114 .

Marine shoreline near coral reefs, Wanlitong, Pingtung County, Taiwan, 21 ° 599470N, 120 ° 429150E, 5 January 2000, H.- T . Shih coll., NMNS 4054-029 ; mangrove area at estuary of Kaoping River , Linyuan, Kaohsiung County, Taiwan, 3 November 1998, Chung-Chi Huang coll., NMNS 4054-030 .

Remarks

Based on the most recent information available to us, this is the first Taiwan record of this globally distributed subtropical to tropical species. It is one of the few euryhaline earthworms of the world.

Amynthas corticis (Kinberg, 1867)

Amynthas corticis: Blakemore 2003, p 14 .

Nanrenshan , Kending, Pingtung County, Taiwan, 22 ° 059030N, 120 ° 509070E; 150 m, 20 October 1996, 13 July 1998 and 24 August 1999, Chung-Chi Huang coll., NMNS 4054- 031 , NMNS 4054-003 , NMNS 4054-032 ; Jioupeng , Pingtung County, Taiwan, 22 ° 069180N, 120 ° 509560E; 149 m, 29 April 1999, H.- T. Shih coll., NMNS 4054-033 ; Nanhe , Chunrih, Pingtung County, Taiwan, 22 ° 269330N, 120 ° 399030E; 133 m, 19 August 1999, Chung-Chi Huang and Jin-Kuan Yang colls., NMNS 4054-034 .

Description

Dimensions 96–119 mm by 4.1–4.3 mm at segment x, 3.8–4.0 mm at xxx, 3.6–3.8 mm at clitellum; body cylindrical throughout, segments 110–118. Setae regularly distributed around segmental equators, numbering 36–40 at vii, 40–46 at xxv, size and distance regular; 10–14 setae between male pores; setal formula AA:AB:YZ:ZZ53:1:1:2 at xxv. Male pores 0.24 circumference apart in eighth setal line. Female pore single in xiv. Prostomium epilobic, with tongue open. Colour unpigmented or slight greenish brown shading on dorsalmost one-third, formalin preservation. First dorsal pore 11/12. Clitellum annular xiv–xvi; setae invisible externally.

Male pores lateral to two pairs small circular genital markings pre-, post-setal in xviii. Spermathecal pores ventral in 5/6/7/8/9, 0.28 circumference apart. Genital markings presetal viii–ix (all), additionally in vii (5), or vii and vi (1); post-setal vii, viii (2) or viii only (2) or none post-setal (3), either in line with spermathecal pores or just median to line of pores (2).

Septa 5/6/7/8 thinly muscular, 8/9, 9/10 absent, 10/11–13/14 thinly muscular; gizzard viii–x. Intestinal origin xvi; lymph glands present from xxvi; typhlosole simple fold one-fifth lumen diameter from xxvii. Intestinal caeca simple, long slender, originating in xxvii, extending anteriorly to xxiii, no incisions. Oesophageal hearts three pairs in xi–xiii, x lacking, commissural vessels vii, ix lateral, viii to gizzard.

Male sexual system holandric, testes, funnels in ventrally joined sacs in x, xi. Seminal vesicles large in xi, xii, with dorsal lobe. Prostates xviii, three to four deeply incised main lobes covering xvi–xx, ducts thick, muscular in long hairpin loop forward to xv, vasa deferentia join at duct–glandular portion junction; vasa deferentia non-muscular; genital marking glands lacking in xviii, small sessile genital marking glands in spermathecal segments.

Ovaries in xiii. Paired spermathecae in vi–ix; ampulla ovoid, diverticulum blunt ovoid, stalk straight; diverticulum axis shorter than ampulla axis; no nephridia on spermathecal ducts.

Remarks

The material is very probably A. corticis , a widespread peregrine species or complex of asexual morphs. For a detailed proposed synonymy see Blakemore (2003).

Amynthas gracilis (Kinberg, 1867)

Amynthas gracilis: Blakemore 2003, p 19 .

Pheretima hawayana: Gates 1972, p 189 .

Caopu , Pingtung County, Taiwan, 8 August 1998, Chang-Yi Tsai coll., NMNS 4054-035 . Three adults collected at Gaoshih, Pingtung County, Taiwan, 22 ° 069490N, 120 ° 499410E; 234 m, 31 May 1999 by H.- T . Shih, NMNS 4054-012 .

Description

Dimensions 60–70 mm (estimated; all amputees or fragmented in vitro) by 3.5 mm at segment x, 3.8 mm at xxx, 3.8 mm at clitellum; body cylindrical throughout, segments.57. Setae regularly distributed around segmental equators, numbering 24 at vii, 44 at xxv; size larger vi–viii; setal formula AA:AB:YZ:ZZ52:1:1:3 at xxv. Female pores paired in xiv. Prostomium epilobic, with tongue open. Faint brown anterior dorsal pigmentation diminishing posteriorly. First dorsal pore 11/12. Clitellum annular xiv–xvi; setae invisible externally.

Male pores minute on small circular porophores lateral to paired post-setal genital markings, one pair or if two, the genital markings in transverse line, 15 setae between male pores, pores 0.33 circumference apart on tenth setal line. Spermathecal pores ventral on leading segmental edges 5/6/7/8 at fourth setal line, 0.27 circumference apart.

Septa 6/7/8 muscular, 8/9, 9/10 absent, 10/11–13/14 thinly muscular; gizzard viii–x. Intestinal origin xv; typhlosole lacking. Intestinal caeca simple, originating in xxvii, extending anteriorly to xxiv, six or seven small pockets on ventral margin. Oesophageal hearts three pairs in xi–xiii; hearts x lacking; commissural vessels vii, ix lateral, viii to gizzard.

Male sexual system holandric, testes, funnels in paired ventral sacs in x, ventrally joined sac in xi. Seminal vesicles acinous, large in xi, xii, with small uniform dorsal lobe. Prostates small xviii, three main lobes, ducts straight, muscular, vasa deferentia join duct at duct– glandular portion junction; vasa deferentia non-muscular; stalked genital marking glands xviii.

Ovaries in xiii. Paired spermathecae in vi–viii; ampulla pear-shaped, duct shorter than ampulla, diverticulum chamber small ovate, stalk slender with one or two short kinks, ental third of stalk and chamber iridescent with sperm; no nephridia on spermathecal ducts.

Remarks

This species keys to the peregrine A. gracilis (Kinberg, 1867) . The only other sexthecal Taiwan Amynthas known to date to have the spermathecae located in vi–viii is A. wangi ( Shen et al. 2003b) . Differences between A. gracilis and A. wangi are primarily in the male reproductive organs and the locations of genital markings. Genital markings are present in the spermathecal segments in A. wangi , but not in this material of A. gracilis , and in A. wangi on xvii in line with the male porophores, rather than in xviii medial to the male pores. The testes sacs of A. wangi are paired, while on the other hand the testes sacs in x of A. gracilis are joined ventrally.