Further records of non-cryptic New Zealand earthworms

By

Blakemore, Robert J. (Robert John)

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2011

Original Publication

ZooKeys

Volume

160

Pages

23-46

Subjects

Annelida: Oligochaeta , Eco-taxonomy , ICZN , island biodiversity , new taxa

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.160.2354

 

Abstract

Current descriptions add natives Aporodrilus aotea sp. n., A. ponga sp. n. and Notoscolex repanga sp. n., plus new exotic records to the numbers of megadrile earthworms known from New Zealand, which are now raised from 193 to 222 species in five families, viz: Acanthodrilidae, Octochaetidae and Megascolecidae, plus Lumbricidae and Glossoscolecidae for exotics. Overlooked spermathecal diverticula have been located for Notoscolex equestris Benham, 1942 and for Megascolex animae Lee, 1959 and non-tubular prostrates were misconstrued as tubular in Megascolides tasmani Lee, 1959. Of these latter three species, a lectotype is designated for N. equestris and holotypes of the other two are briefly redescribed. Whereas M. tasmani now belongs in Notoscolex Fletcher, 1887 and M. animae belongs in Anisochaeta Beddard, 1890, further lack of dorsal pores in N. equestris as with Notoscolex esculentus (Benham, 1904) and N. mortenseni (Michaelsen, 1924) newly qualifies all three as additional combs. novae in primarily Tasmanian genus Aporodrilus Blakemore, 2000.