Kazimierzus kleinoodi Nxele & Plisko, 2017

Plisko, Thembeka Clara Nxele Jadwiga Danuta, Mwabvu, Tarombera & Zishiri, Oliver Tendayi, 2017, Four new earthworm species of Kazimierzus Plisko, 2006 (Clitellata, Kazimierzidae), Zootaxa 4353 (1), pp. 187-194 : 188-189

Kazimierzus kleinoodi Nxele & Plisko , sp. n.

( Figure 1 )

Locality and material. South Africa: Western Cape: Stellenbosch, Kleinood Farm near stream in wet seepage area (33.99646S 18.87353E), 199 m asl, 30.viii.2011, J.D. Plisko, S. James, G. Schultz leg.

Holotype. One clitellate, NMSA / OLIG. 04987b.

Paratypes. One clitellate, NMSA / OLIG. 04987a.

Additional material. Five juveniles NMSA / OLIG. 04987c,e.

Description. External. Holotype: Body length> 110 mm, abscised, width 8 mm at tubercula. Segment number> 200. Paratype:> 250 mm in length, abscised, width 8 mm. Segment number> 300. Colour whitish grey. Prostomium prolobous. Preclitellar segments with secondary annulations: segment 1 and 2 simple, 3 with superficial line, 4–6 divided by one furrow, the anterior annulus again subdivided giving four annuli per segment; 7, 8, 9 also with annuli subdivided to make a total of 5, 6, 8 annulations, respectively. Setae aa <bc: ab = cd: cd <bc minute, closely paired especially on papillae. Male pores not observed. Female pores not observed. Spermathecal pores not observed, presumably at intersegmental furrows of 12/13–16/17, corresponding to the number and location of the spermathecae. Clitellum saddle-shaped on 12–27, 28, segmented, appears as a band of discolouration. Tubercula pubertatis not clear on 17,18–21. Genital papillae on 10–28 or 10–26 on paratype.

Internal. Septa 4/5, 5/6, 6/7 thickened, muscular ( Fig. 1 ). Other septa thin. Gizzard well developed in 7, globular, muscular. Calciferous glands in 9, fused dorsally. Intestinal origin in 12. Dorsal blood vessel simple throughout the body. Nephridia holoic, one pair per segment with J-shaped bladders. Holandric, male funnels in separate sacs, closely paired. Seminal vesicles very small, one pair in 11. Spermathecae near cd setal line, one pair per segment in 12–16 near intersegmental furrows 12/13–16/17, one pair per segment, small, round-shaped with long diverticulum. Genital glands present on 10–26 or 28.

Etymology. Refers to the type locality, Kleinood Farm.

Remarks. This species is similar to K. pearsonianus ( Pickford, 1975) with muscular septa at 4/5–6/7 but differs by the position of calciferous glands in segment 9 (in 10 in K. pearsonianus ). K. kleinoodi sp. n. has five pairs of spermathecae whilst K. pearsonianus has three. Furthermore, the clitellum in K. kleinoodi is on 12–27 and extends slightly to 28 in the paratype, but it covers segments 11–28 in pearsonianus . K. nietvoorbiji sp. n. and K. nieuwoudtvillensis sp. n. (see below) also have thickened septa 4/5–6/7 but differs from K. kleinoodi in the number of spermathecae (5, 6, 4 respectively). Some of the characters specific for this species are indicated in Table 1.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Kazimierzus kleinoodi sp. n. Dorsal view, anterior end showing muscular septa and a large well-developed gizzard; anterior end on the left. Scale bar 1 mm.