CHINESE EARTHWORMS — GATES 469 



P. pingl is close to P. difri7igens, from which it is distinguished by 

 the slightly larger setal numbers, the larger number of male setae on 

 xvii-xix, the posterior location of the first dorsal pore, the segmental 

 and postsetal location of the spermathecal pores, the presence of 

 postclitellar genital markings, presence of a complete septum 8/9, and 

 presence of the hearts of x. The segmental location of the sperma- 

 thecal pores is not obvious unless the specimens are well preserved. 



Kobayashi (1936) places pingi in the synonymy of carnosa as a 

 result of his examination of two octothecal Japanese specimens 

 (from Morioka) with spermathecal pores on 5/6-8/9 that were 

 labeled "F. carnosa.'''' Unfortunately no history is given of these 

 specimens of carnosa^ and there is no valid reason for accepting 

 Kobayashi's synonymy at present. The types of carnosa are from 

 Tokyo and are sexthecal, with spermathecal pores on 5/6-7/8. Al- 

 though Kobayashi claims to have had sexthecal specimens of pingi, 

 the spermathecal pores on both of these specimens are on 6/7-8/9. 



Kobayashi (both in 1934 and 1936) considers the spermathecal pores 

 to be large. The pores are, however, at least on the specimen just ex- 

 amined, minute and superficial. Large spermathecal pores would 

 have to be considered evidence for recognition as a distinctly different 

 species. 



PHERETIMA POMELLA Gates 



1935. Pheretima pomella Gates, Smithsonian Misc. Coll., vol. 93, no. 3, p. 14 



(type locality: Suifu, Szechwan; types in the U. S. National Museum). 



1936. Pheretima pomella Chen, Contr. Biol. Lab. Sci. Soc. China, zool. set., vol. 



11, p. 801 (after examination of type). 



Material exa^nined. — From Dr. Graham: 1 clitellate specimen la- 

 beled "Suifu, 1,200-2,000 feet, October 1-November 1, 1938." 



External characteristics. — Length, 87 mm. Diameter, 5 mm. 



Setae are present ventrally on segment ii but are lacking dorsally ; 

 the dorsal gap narroAvs gradually on iii-v. On the postclitellar seg- 

 ments the middorsal gaps are variable in width. There is a definite 

 but slight midventral gap from segment xxi posteriorly. Setal 

 numbers : vii/19, xvii/19, xviii/14, xix/19, xx/ca. 50. 



The first dorsal pore is on 10/11. 



The clitellum is annular, extending from 13/14 to 16/17; inter- 

 segmental furrows, dorsal pores, and setae lacking. 



The spermathecal pores are minute, on tiny glistening tubercles; 

 presetal on vii and viii, slightly nearer to the intersegmental furrows 

 than to the setae. 



The male pores are minute, each pore at the center of a very short, 

 slightly depressed, transverse area; the margins of the areas not 

 definitely demarcated or demarcations unrecognizable because of the 

 slight depression. 



82345 — 39 5 



