Anisochaeta macleayi ( Fletcher, 1889 )

Blakemore, Robert J., 2012, On Schmarda’s lost earthworm and some newly found New Zealand species (Oligochaeta: Megadrilacea: Lumbricidae, Acanthodrilidae, Octochaetidae, & Megascolecidae s. stricto), Journal of Species Research 1 (2), pp. 105-132 : 116

Anisochaeta macleayi ( Fletcher, 1889)

[ Fig. 9 ]

This species is fully described by Blakemore (1994; 1997; 2000a; 2010b), and in Blakemore & Elton (1994) but under its prior name, Spenceriella macleayi .

Distribution. Australia, these two specimens from Wairakei are a new record for NZ. Possible mechanisms for transportation are as discussed in Blakemore (1999, 2010b).

mtDNA. Whereas, BLASTn of Anisochaeta macleayi specimens AMNZ 5262 and 5263 (S1 & S2) show 100% agreement, surprisingly they show similarity no better than 86% with congeneric A. kiwi . megaBLAST matches no better than 87% with Asian megascolecids.

Remarks. Further work is required to investigate the molecular boundaries of these taxa.

Figures

Fig. 9. Anisochaeta macleayi (Fletcher, 1889), Wairakei Steamfield near original Geothermal well WK 44/0 (central specimen “S1” AMNZ 5262, rhs specimen “S2” AMNZ 5263). Specimens differ slightly but mtDNA COIs 100% identical.