Eisenia japonica hiramoto, Blakemore, 2012

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 : 110-111

Eisenia japonica hiramoto sub-sp. nov.

[ Fig. 4 ]

Eisenia japonica (part.): Blakemore & Grygier, 2011: 270, fig. 4.

Material examined. Holotype, H, (Tokyo NSMT An- 415) from under Eucalyptus sp. gum tree in park next to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Cemetery in Hodogaya-ku (ca. 35̊27′36′′N 139̊35′46′′E), Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa-ken, Japan. Collected by RJB and Yuko Hiramoto, Anzac Day , 25 th April, 2010.

Etymology. In honour of its co-collector’s family name.

Diagnosis. Defined on its clitellum in 24-31 and TP in 27 & 29 as in E. japonica japonica and other sub-species, plus a pair of distinctive setal tumescences around ab of segment 25. Unique mtDNA COI barcode sequence definitive (presented in Appendix I).

mtDNA results. BLASTn of Holotype An-415 shows alignment no better than 93% (Identities=414/445) with Enoshima E. japonica topotype An-417. megaBLAST similarity is <84% with some pre-existing European lumbricid vouchers sequences on GenBank.

Remarks. Newly named E. japonica hiramoto appears to differ from other sub-species morphologically (as noted above also cf. Figs. 3 & 4) only in its pronounced markings found around setae ab in segment 25 while lacking those that typically occur around ventral setae on segments 21 and/or 22. Its recently-available COI barcode data is unequivocal. Possibly it merits specific status as indicated by divergence of its COI gene, but superficial similarity to E. japonica is compelling and, moreover, it may be endemic.

Found simultaneously was Japanese Eisenia anzac Blakemore, 2011 (cf. its mtDNA COI data in Appendix I) and an Amynthas sp. nov. to be detailed elsewhere.

Taxonomy of new and of known exotic Anisochaeta (sub-)spp.

Family MEGASCOLECIDAE Rosa, 1891 sensu Blakemore, 2000

Genus Anisochaeta Beddard 1890

Pertinent background information is that the Australian genus Anisochaeta Beddard, 1890 was for a long time overlooked, mostly subsumed in Spenceriella Michael-

1 mm

sen, 1907 while accruing a few other genera, until formally restored by Blakemore (1997). Megascolex Templeton, 1872 (objective synonym Pleurochaeta Beddard, 1883 ) is a similar genus restricted to Indian species. Gates’ (1965) synonymy of what was then Megascolex laingii Benham, 1903 in prior Perichaeta newcombei Beddard, 1887 , now both in Anisochaeta , was questioned then revived by Blakemore (1994: 515; 1997: 1842) despite the original species description being based on fragments lacking clitella and with types now lost ( Fig. 5 ). Initially only reported from Norfolk Island, a part of the Commonwealth of Australia, A. laingii was retained on NZ lists due to later reports (e.g. Gates, 1965) from Hamilton and from Raoul Island, albeit these are probable misidentifications especially in view of the number of other Anisochaeta species now known hereabouts (vide infra). Sometimes yet misplaced in genus Megascolex Templeton, 1844 it is, moreover, most likely on present knowledge that Anisochaeta laingii is a species introduced from the Australian mainland to its type-locality by (recent?) human activity, hence it is neither a Norfolk Island neoendemic (sensu Blakemore, 1999) nor a direct translocation from New Zealand proper.

Anisochaeta laingii ( Benham, 1903) ( Fig. 5 ) from Norfolk Island ( Australia) and Australian Anisochaeta macleayi ( Fletcher, 1889) from Wairakei, NZ are comparable to Anisochaeta minor (Spencer, 1900) from Queensland, Australia-see Blakemore (1994; 1997; 2000a; 2010b) and Blakemore & Elton (1994). These references show that representatives of native genus Anisochaeta are particularly widespread in Australia and appear resilient to agricultural cultivation/habitat disturbance (e.g. specimens lodged and registered at ANIC, Canberra, as noted in Introduction). Anisochaeta sp were found in abundance by the author in January, 2011 in the grounds of New South Wales (NSW) Department of Environment & Climate Change facility in Sydney suburb of Lidcombe, further indication they would be suitable native monitorspecies for eco-toxological studies.

Figures

Fig. 4. Eisenia japonica hiramoto Blakemore, sub-sp. nov. Holotype (Tokyo An-415) from near Commonwealth Graves Cemetery, Hodogaya-ku, Yokohama, Japan.

Fig. 5. Anisochaeta laingii (Benham, 1903) from Norfolk Island (Australia) the only previous Anisochaeta questionably reported from NZ. Its markings in segments 10-12 and 17 differ, but internal organization is somewhat similar to the new Anisochaeta spp. herein (After Benham’s original with copy permission from Royal Society NZ; Oct., 2011).