200 BEDDARD. 



The 4 pairs of spermathecse appear to agree with the descrip- 

 tions of those of P. posthuma. It is important to remark that 

 while in an adult the diverticulum was fully'as long as the pouch, 

 it was distinctly shorter in an example not fully mature. Too 

 much stress has been at times laid upon the relative lengths of 

 the spermatheca and its diverticulum. 



Pheretima americanonim sp. nov. 



A single example of this, the finest new species contained in the 

 collection, measured when alive according to the label 12 inches, 

 about 30 centimeters. By its preservation it has shrunk to some 

 20 centimeters or so. The diameter at the head end is 8 milli- 

 meters. Thus the worm is a robust species and is of about the 

 same dimensions as Pheretima benguetensis, another large species 

 contained in this collection. Its color is peculiar. There appears 

 to have been little or no integumental pigment during life, for the 

 color of the preserved worm is almost white, somewhat of the 

 tint of a fresh deal board, that is, a very pale brown. This color 

 is hardly darker upon the clitellum. The most salient external 

 characteristic is the one afforded by the genital papillae, which 

 are different from those of any other species hitherto described. 

 The species which come nearest to the present in this particular 

 are Pheretima glandulosa Rosa ^" and P. papulosa Rosa, " but 

 there are obvious differences. 



These papillse are present in the neighborhood of the male 

 pores upon the XVIIIth segment and of those of the spermathecal 

 pores which lie between segments VI/VII, VII/VIII, VIII/IX. 

 The papillse themselves are minute, white warts, which contrast 

 with the surrounding yellowish skin by their color as well as by 

 being raised above its surface. Those belonging to the male 

 pores are limited to the XVIIIth segment as in Pheretima glan- 

 dulosa and do not extend to neighboring segments as they do in 

 the other multipapillate species, P. papulosa. I have myself had 

 the opportunity of studying P. papulosa,^'' but I do not recollect 

 the exact appearance of the papillse in that species. It is clear, 

 however, that in P. papulosa they are also quite small. Those 

 of Pheretima americanonim are heaped around the male pores 

 and especially on that side which lies nearest to the mid-ventral 

 line of the body, but they occur on both sides of the external 

 aperture of the spermidjical glands. 



"^ Both are described in Ann. Mus. Civ. Genova (2a) 1 6, 525, etc. 

 " Proc. Zool. Soc. London (1900), 644. 



