The megadrile fauna (Annelida: Oligochaeta) of Queen Elizabeth Park, South Africa: species composition and distribution within different vegetation types
Author
Nxele, Thembeka C.
text
African Invertebrates
2012
2012-12-07
53
2
543
543
http://www.bioone.org/doi/abs/10.5733/afin.053.0207
journal article
10.5733/afin.053.0207
2305-2562
7918468
93922FBA-820B-4130-B5B9-B40857C1576F
Octolasion lacteum
(
Örley, 1881
)
Lumbricus terrestris
var.
lacteus
:
Örley 1881: 584
; Gates 1972: 118.
Octolasion lacteum
: Örley 1885: 21
; Plisko 1997: 264; 2002: 196; 2010: 301;
Horn
et al.
2007: 175
.
Octolasion tyrtaeum
: Gates 1972: 125
;
Ljungström 1972
a
: 45
.
Octolasion lacteum lacteum
: Blakemore 2004
a
: 109
.
Type
locality:
Hungary
.
Description:
External
: Body length
40–55 mm
, width
3–4 mm
. Number of segments 94–101. Prostomium epilobous. Preclitellar
cd
setae closely paired but postclitellar somewhat distantly paired. First dorsal pore in 10/11. Clitellum saddle-shaped, on 30–35, with distinct start and end. Tubercula pubertatis band-like, on 31–34 and 35. Female pore on 14. Male pores paired on 15, with large tumescens.
Internal
: Gizzard in 17–18. Intestinal origin in 15. Holandric. Seminal vesicles in 9–12. Spermathecae in 9 and 10.
Material examined: 33 cl.,
9 juv.
: Woodland, small grass with bush near road (
29°34.345'S
30°19.377'E
),
7.i.2012
, 1 cl.,
NMSA
/Olig.06093; Indigenous Bush, big trees, wet soil, dense cover (
29°34.151'S
30°19.263'E
),
2996 ft
,
22.ii.2012
, 28 cl.,
3 juv.
,
NMSA
/Olig.06119; Plantation, wattle & pine (
29°33.655'S
30°18.919'E
),
3106 ft
,
23.ii.2012
, 4 cl.,
6 juv.
,
NMSA
/Olig.06124
.
Remarks: This species is widely distributed in
South Africa
, being known in all provinces from more than 200 samplings (
NMSAD
). Occurs in a wide range of habitats: forests, pastures, cultivated fields, banks of rivers, fallow grounds, gardens, and composting heaps. The small size of the collected specimens suggests parthenogenetical reproduction.