A new pheretimoid earthworm of the genus Metaphire Sims & Easton, 1972 (Oligochaeta, Megascolecidae) from northeastern China with data from the mitochondrial genome

By

Zhao, Huifeng
Han, Anne Charis N.
Liu, Min
Zhang, Yufeng
Aspe, Nonillon M.
Miao, Pu
Wu, Donghui

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2025-1-15

Original Publication

Zoosystematics and evolution

Volume

101

Series / Issue

Issue: 1

Pages

81--89

Subjects

Biodiversity , new species , Northeast China , taxonomy

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia Pensoft

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/zse.101.136027

 

Abstract

A new pheretimoid earthworm species, Metaphire liaoningensissp. nov., was investigated in northeastern China. The taxonomy of M. liaoningensissp. nov. using morphological characters and molecular data is reported, as well as its current geographical range in northeastern China. The new species, belonging to the M. houlleti species group, is characterized by having three pairs of spermathecal pores in 6/7/8/9, round and small pre-clitellar genital markings medio-ventral to the spermathecal pore opening, the first dorsal pore in 12/13, and the spermathecae ampulla large, nearly elliptical with a surface wrinkled and a duct long and stout. The molecular phylogenetic position of M. liaoningensissp. nov. within the M. houlleti species group is performed by COI and mitogenomic data, respectively. The COIK2P genetic distance between the new species and the other species within the M. houlleti species group was at least 16%. This is the second updated report of a new pheretimoid species in northeastern China since the last decade.