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Two Korean endemic pheretimoid Amynthas Kinberg, 1867 species belonging in family Megascolecidae s. stricto are sketched, dissected and described. Amynthas daeari Blakemore sp. n. has spermathecae in 6/7/8 complying with an Amynthas tokioensis spp-group, whilst Amynthas jinburi Blakemore sp. n. has spermathecal pores in 5 & 6 strictly complying with
Soil fauna, invertebrate biodiversity, new endemic taxa, molecular barcodes
Specimens from the collection of NIBR contribute to ongoing earthworm surveys as part of understudied non-insect invertebrates of the Korean Peninsula (
Taxonomic determinations follow the methodology and classifications in
Specimens, now in 80% Ethanol, are lodged in the NIBR facility. Small tissue samples taken for mtDNA COI barcoding as proposed 10 yrs ago by
Discussion is confined to remarks after each species’ description. For brevity, not all taxonomic authorities are cited in References as these may be sought elsewhere.
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IV0000261261, mature specimen complete but broken in two at clitellum after being figured and dissected. Collected from small valley at Jeollabuk-do, Wanju-gun, Dongsang-myeon, Daea-ri (35.9801N, 127.2981E); collected 27th July, 2012 by Dr Hong-Yul Seo. DNA tissue sample code – w53.
Noun from location.
Amynthas with two pairs of spermathecal pores in 6/7/8 complying with an Amynthas tokioensis-group; spermathecae with compressed clavate diverticula; GMs median to spermathecal and male pores with patches around the former and the latter bracketed laterally by small C-shaped clefts.
Only known from a single specimen from type locality.
In litter layer in forest.
Behaviour. Habitat, pigmentation and gut contents indicate activity in the litter layer.
Length. 150 mm.
Width. ca. 7 mm at male pore level.
Segments. 107.
Colour. Brown in alcohol, possibly darker in life as liquid was stained.
Prostomium. Open epilobous.
First dorsal pore. 12/13.
Setae. Ca. 60 per segment, approximately 22-24 between spermathecal and male pores.
Nephropores. Not found.
Clitellum. Annular 14-16, setae occluded.
Male pores. On 18 centred on small, round porophore (found by following a pin from prostate gland exit) with GMs anterio-median and shallow clefts laterally (that function as seminal ducts and/or suction cups?).
Female pores. Single on 14.
Spermathecal pores. 6/7/8 ca 0.3 C apart at edge of puckered area and lateral to GMs.
Genital markings. Paired discs just median to male and spermathecal pores as noted; composite glands on spermathecal pore GMs but none found for GMs near male pores although the body here is macerated and they may well have broken off and dissipated.
Septa. Nephridial forests on septa 5 & 6; 7/8 thin, 8/9/10 aborted.
Dorsal blood vessel (dbv). Single.
Hearts. Last hearts in 13 (preceding vascularization unclear/damaged).
Gizzard. Single in 8-9.
Calciferous glands. Absent.
Intestine. Indeterminate as specimen macerated; caeca ventrally incised from 27; typhlosole not noted.
Nephridia. Meroic.
Male organs. Holandric, seminal vesicles in 11 & 12.
Ovaries. In 13 as usual.
Prostates. Racemose glands in 17-19, duct short and muscular.
Spermathecae. Two pairs in 7 and 8; that in 7lhs inflated, that in 8lhs deflated (showing how meaningless such a distinction is although relied on by some authors).
Gut contents. Coarse organic debris, i.e., a litter diet suggesting superficial feeding.
>w53 Amynthas daeari Holotype.
C T A T A T T T C A T T T T A G G A A T T T G A G C T G G A A T A A T T G G G G C A G G A A T A A G A C T G C T T A T T C G A A T T G A G C T A A G A C A G C C G G G C T C T T T T C T A G G A A G G G A T C A A C T C T A T A A T A C A A T T G T A A C A G C T C A T G C A T T T T T A A T A A T C T T C T T T C T T G T A A T A C C A G T A T T T A T T G G T G G G T T T G G A A A T T G A C T T C T A C C T C T A A T A C T A G G T G C C C C A G A T A T A G C T T T C C C G C G A C T T A A C A A T A T A A G A T T C T G A T T A C T G C C C C C A T C A C T A A T T T T A C T A G T A T C G T C T G C A G C A G T A G A A A A A G G T G C C G G A A C A G G A T G G A C A G T G T A C C C C C C A C T T G C G A G A A A C A T T G C A C A T G C C G G C C C T T C A G T A G A T C T T G C A A T T T T T T C T C T C C A T C T A G C C G G A G C A T C A T C A A T T C T C G G T G C C A T C A A C T T C A T T A C T A C C G T A A T T A A T A T A C G A T G A T C T G G G C T A C G C T T A G A A C G A A T T C C T C T A T T T G T A T G A G C A G T T G T A A T T A C T G T A A T T C T T T T A C T T C T A T C T T T A C C A G T C T T A G C C G G T G C T A T T A C A A T A T T A C T A A C A G A C C G A A A C C T A A A T A C A T C A T T T T T T G A T C C A G C G G G A G G A G G T G A T C C A A T T C T A T A T C A A C A C T T A T T T
megaBLAST result: “ Amynthas tappensis” (AB542547.1) from Japan max. identity <88% this then is a different and likely new taxon. The closest match from current Korean studies with BLASTn identity 565/653 (87%) is WO49, an immature Amynthas sp. from Jeju that itself comes closest to the Amynthas tokioensis/Metaphire hilgendorfi spp. complexes (see
Of Amynthas species with spermathecae in 6/7/8, twenty or so in the Amynthas tokioensis-group of
Amynthas daeari sp. n. showing ventral view with spermathecae, their composite genital marking glands and 18lhs prostate in situ plus incised intestinal caecum in 27; dorsal view of prostomium; [boxed are lateral views of spermathecal pores and male field in 18rhs to same scale].
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IV0000213690, sub-mature specimen, figured and dissected. From Gangwon-do, Goseong-gun, Ganseong-eup, Jinbu-ri (ca. 38.2961N, 128.3546E) just north of Seoraksan Park on East coast; collected 1st – 2nd June, 2000 by unknown person(s) and deposited in NIBR. DNA tissue sample w61b (unsuccessful at this time).
Noun from location.
Amynthas with two pairs of spermathecal pores in 5 & 6; long, clavate spermathecal diverticula; simple caeca; and GMs absent except for large patches surrounding male pores.
Known only from single specimen from type locality.
Jinburi is a remote, mountainous and forested area
Behaviour. Possibly deep burrowing and geophageous (from gut contents).
Length. 210 mm.
Width. ca. 10 mm at male pore level.
Segments. 143 with some secondary annulation (from preservation?).
Colour. Bleached pale yellow in aged alcohol, possibly darker in life.
Prostomium. Open epilobous.
First dorsal pore. 11/12.
Setae. >100 per segment; e.g. 100+ on 11 and 112 counted on segment 12; approximately 16 setae intervene between male pore pads that are asetal on 18.
Nephropores. Not found.
Clitellum. Slightly darker at 14-16.
Male pores: On 18 on small, rounded and flat porophores.
Female pores. Single on 14.
Spermathecal pores. At posterior of 5 and 6 approximately 0.3 C apart.
Genital markings. None (sub-adult?).
Septa. Nephridial forests on septa 5 & 6; 5/6/7/8 thick, 8/9 thin to base of gizzard, 9/10 aborted.
Hearts. Seen in 11-13 (aborted in 10?).
Gizzard. Single in 8-9.
Calciferous glands. Absent.
Intestine. From 15; caeca simple elongate from 27; typhlosole not noted.
Nephridia. Meroic.
Male organs. Holandric, testes small in 10 &11; seminal vesicles in 11 & 12.
Ovaries. Compact in 13; ovisacs not found in 14.
Prostates: Racemose glands not fully developed in 18 on short, muscular duct.
Spermathecae. Two pairs in 6 & 7 exiting to anterior of 5/6 and 6/7 in 5 & 6 (Fig. 2).
Gut contents. Filled with yellow soil, i.e. probably a deep-burrowing subsoil geophage.
Amynthas jinburi sp. n. showing ventral view with spermathecae and 18rhs prostate in situ plus simple intestinal caecum in 27; dorsal view of prostomium; [boxed is 2X lateral view of spermathecal pores in 5 & 6rhs].
>w61b– nil result, DNA not extractable on this older material that may have been fixed in formalin (although there was no odour) or denatured by pH.
Of all 970 pheretimoid species (
It should be here noted that
If spermathecal pores were in 5/6/7 in any of the above taxa, then the morrisi-group’s possible nearest relatives from Korea would likely be Amynthas koreanus (Kobayashi, 1938: 115) that, however, has manicate caeca; or Amynthas kobayashii (Kobayashi, 1938: 119) and Amynthas geojeinsulae (Song & Paik, 1970) that both have male fields from 17-19 but differ in simple or incised caeca, respectively; or Amynthas assimilis Hong & Kim, 2002 that, like many of its similar cited taxa, has seminal grooves on 18.
The current species has simple, superficial male pores on large disc-like pads on 18. Although not fully mature, it appears unique in the Korea fauna on its combination of this aspect of its male field, spermathecal pores in 5 & 6 and its profusion of setae that number more than 100 per segment, combined with simple elongate intestinal caeca.
Fresh topotypic material is required to confirm these conclusions and to provide definitive DNA data, unless refinement of techniques allows extraction from older types.
This work was supported by a grant from the National Institute of Biological Resources (NIBR), funded by the Ministry of Environment (MOE) of the Republic of Korea. Dr Hong-Yul Seo of NIBR provided one of the samples, Seunghan Lee performed DNA analysis and Prof. Wonchoel Lee facilitated the study at Hanyang University, Seoul. All taxonomic work and decisions are the responsibility of the primary author. Thanks to ZooKeys editor and anonymous referees for constructive comments to improve the MS.