CHINESE EARTHWORMS — GATES 



415 



Intestinal caeca characterized by a single longitudinal axis are 

 termed simple regardless of the depth of incisions on the dorsal and 

 (or) ventral margins of the primary caecal evagination. Intestinal 

 caeca with several longitudinal axes and with a rather characteristic 

 glove-shaped conformation are termed compound. 



PHERETIMA ABDITA Gates 



1935. Pheretima abdita Gates, Smithsonian Misc. Coll., vol. 03, no. 3, p. 5 (type 



locality: Suifu, Szchewan ; types in U. S. National Museum). 



1936. Pheretima abdita Chen, Contr. Biol. Lab. Sci. Soc. China, zool. ser., vol. 11, 



p. 292 (after examination of types). 



Material examined. — From Dr. Graham : 1 partially clitellate speci- 

 men labeled "Suifu"; 1 partially clitellate specimen labeled "Suifu, 

 1,000 feet, July 1925"; 14 clitell.ate specimens labeled "Chungking, 

 2,000 feet, May 6-27, 1930." 



External characteristics. — Length, 80-140 mm. Maximum diame- 

 ter, 31/2-6 mm. 



The setae begin on ii, on which segment there is a complete circle. 

 The setae are small and regularly spaced, a trifle more widely sepa- 

 rated dorsally than ventrally. There is no midventral break in the 

 setal circles, a middorsal break when present of variable width. The 

 setal numbers are as follows : 



' Wide gaps in setal circles, no pits visible in the gaps. 

 ' Gaps with empty setal pits in the setal row. 



The first dorsal pore is usually on 12/13. 



The clitellum is annular, extending from 13/14 to 16/17 or not 

 quite reaching to one or both of those limits ; dorsal pores and inter- 

 segmental furrows lacking; setae present, at least ventrally, on all 

 three segments. 



The spermathecal pores are rather small, with puckered margins, 

 widely separated, three pairs on 5/6-7/8. 



The apertures of the male parietal invaginations on xviii are usually 

 elongate-slitlike but may be somewhat rounded. The invaginations 



