Eleven new South African earthworms (Oligochaeta: Microchaetidae) with new information on some known species, and an inventory of the microchaetids of KwaZulu-Natal
Author
Plisko, Jadwiga Danuta
text
African Invertebrates
2003
2003-12-31
44
2
279
325
journal article
10.5281/zenodo.7666260
2305-2562
7666260
Microchaetus tuberosus
Plisko, 1998
Microchaetus tuberosus
Plisko, 1998: 290
.
Material examined:
KwaZuluNatal
:
NMSA
/
Olig.
03497
Port Shepstone
,
Armidale
farm (
30º39'39"S
:
30º30'19"E
) at
102 m
, recently burnt grassland, many herbs, patch at summit of dune, damp sandy soil,
4 November 2001
, 5 cl
,
AJA
,
HM
[associated with
Microchaetus parvus
].
NMSA
/
Olig.
03630
Oribi Gorge Nature Reserve
(
30º43'49"S
:
30º16'22"E
) summit at
451 m
, grassland,
25 June 2002
, 4 juv [in quiescent phase, without soil in the gut, posteriorly transparently reddish]
,
AJA
,
D. J. Craigie
, BK, L.
Mnguni
.
NMSA
/
Olig.
03631
Oribi Gorge Nature Reserve
(
30º43'50"S
:
30º16'24"E
) east facing slope at
451 m
, grassland/forest border,
25 June 2002
, 1 cl + 1 juv
,
AJA
,
D. J. Craigie
, BK,
L. Mnguni
[associated with
Pontoscolex corethrurus
(
Müller, 1857
)
].
Mbumbazi Nature Reserve
:
NMSA
/
Olig.
03405 (
30º47'42"S
:
30º16'41"E
) hillside, in forest on path,
27 March 2001
, 1 with tubercula pubertatis
,
AJA
, BK;
NMSA
/
Olig.
03404 (
30º47'45"S
:
30º16'35"E
) hillside, in forest near stream,
27 March 2001
, 5 juv
,
AJA
, BK;
NMSA
/
Olig.
03399 (
30º47'45"S
:
30º16'43"E
) hillside, in forest,
27 March 2001
, 5 with tubercula pubertatis
,
AJA
, BK;
NMSA
/
Olig.
03396 (
30º48'06"S
:
30º16'30"E
) hillside, under tall grass, along road,
26 March 2001
, 5 juv
,
AJA
, BK;
NMSA
/
Olig.
03397 (
30º48'06"S
:
30º16'30"E
) hillside, under tall grass, along road,
26 March 2001
, 4 with tubercula pubertatis
,
AJA
, BK;
NMSA
/
Olig.
03519 (
30º48'09"S
:
30º16'47"E
) at
372 m
, sparse mediumhigh grass with shrubs and herbs, top layer soil, under casts,
5 November 2001
, 3 not fully mature
,
AJA
,
HM
;
NMSA
/
Olig.
03518 (
30º48'12"S
:
30º16'47"E
) hillside, recently burnt tall grass, between grass roots, damp soil,
5 November 2001
, 11 juv
,
AJA
,
HM
;
NMSA
/
Olig.
03517 (
30º48'12"S
:
30º16'47"E
) hillside, recently burnt tall grass, under grass roots, damp soil,
5 November 2001
, 7 cl [much longer and with more segments than
type
material, and with various number and shape of spermathecae: 1–3 pairs per segment]
,
AJA
,
HM
.
Umtamvuna Nature Reserve
:
NMSA
/
Olig.
03406 (
30º59'54"S
:
30º09'48"E
) plateau, in vlei, mediumtall graminoids,
29 March 2001
, 11 juv
,
AJA
, BK; plateau, in vlei under medium graminoids (
30º59'55"S
:
30º09'48"E
)
:
NMSA
/
Olig.
03409, 1 cl
,
NMSA
/
Olig.
03410, 8 juv
,
NMSA
/
Olig.
03411, 2 cocoons, collected
29 March 2001
by
AJA
, BK, [associated with acanthodrilid of the genus
Parachilota
].
Remarks: A species described from the Oribi Gorge Nature Reserve and known from various places in its vicinity (
Fig. 1
). Present records extend the known range of the species to coastal lowlands in southern KZN. At some sites the species was associated with
parvus
, with an indigenous acanthodrilid of the genus
Parachilota
, or with the exotic glossoscolecid
Pontoscolex corethrurus
(
Müller, 1857
)
.