Taxonomy of North European Lumbricillus (Clitellata, Enchytraeidae)
Author
Klinth, Marten J.
Author
Rota, Emilia
Author
Erseus, Christer
text
ZooKeys
2017
703
15
96
http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.703.13385
journal article
http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.703.13385
1313-2970-703-15
9BAAB4A5CDE1493B8A0413D8F301E198
Lumbricillus
viridis Stephenson, 1911
Fig. 15
Lumbricillus viridis
Stephenson, 1911: pp. 46-50, figs 6
a-b
& 7
a-c
;
Nielsen and Christensen 1959
: pp. 103-104, fig. 116;
Klinth et al. 2017
.
Pachydrilus orthochaetus
Delphy, 1921: pp. 64-82, figs 29-41.
Type material.
Typus amissus (Nomenclatura Oligochaetologica). Type locality: Firth of Clyde, Wemyss Bay, United Kingdom (Stephenson, 1911). We did not designate a neotype as we do not have material from the type locality.
Material examined.
ZMBN 107933 (CE12037), ZMBN 107934 (CE12038), ZMBN 107935 (CE12039) & ZMBN 107938 (CE23255), three mature and one half-mature specimens from Norway. For information on specimen collection localities and GenBank accession numbers see Appendix 1.
Description.
Green worms (sometimes yellowish-green). Length (fixed worms) more than 7.9-10.6 mm (amputated specimens), first 15 segments 3.8-6.2 mm long, width at clitellum 0.74-1.05 mm. More than 23-41 segments. Chaetae straight or slightly sigmoid (Fig. 15A). Dorsal bundles with 3-6 chaetae anterior to clitellum, 3-5 chaetae in postclitellar segments. Ventral bundles with 3-6 chaetae anterior to clitellum, 3-5 chaetae posteriorly. Each
worm's
longest measured chaetae 70-85
µm
long, about 5
µm
wide. Clitellum extending over
XII-XIII
. Head pore at 0/1. Epidermis with transverse rows of gland cells.
Coelomocytes numerous, 20-35
µm
long, spindle-shaped, oval, round, granulated. Paired pharyngeal glands present in IV, V and VI; each pair converging dorsally (Fig. 15B). Dorsal vessel originating in XIII. Nephridia observed in
VIII-X
and
XV-XIX
, about 250
µm
long, anteseptale funnel only, postseptale oval, tapering into posterior efferent duct. Brain with posterior incision.
Male genitalia paired (Fig. 15D). Testes originating in XI, extending forwards into X, with testis sacs forming regular club-shaped lobes. Sperm funnels in XI, 620-670
µm
long, 320-350
µm
wide, making them about twice as long as wide, funnels tapering towards vasa deferentia. Most of vasa irregularly coiled in XII, 25-30
µm
wide. Penial bulbs round, 170-180
µm
in diameter. Ovaries in XII. About five mature eggs present at a time.
Spermathecae (Fig. 15C) in V, club-shaped, with distinct ampulla. Ectal duct narrow, shorter than ampulla, abruptly widening into ampulla. Ampulla round. Sperm arranged in a compact central sphere in the ampulla as well as embedded in the wall of ampulla, creating a circle around the sphere. Spermathecae 265-320
µm
long, 270-310
µm
wide at widest part of ampulla. Gland cells surrounding ectal pore, forming compact mass, slightly lobed, whole glandular body 310-325
µm
in diameter at its widest part. Gland cells also along the ectal duct. Up to four midventral subneural glands in
XIV-XVII
, 240-270
µm
, 215-245
µm
, 190-215
µm
and 130
µm
long, respectively; glands in XVII not observed in all specimens.
Figure 15.
Lumbricillus viridis
. A Chaetal bundle B Anterior body C Spermatheca D Other genitalia. Abbreviations under general notes. Scale bars: 100
µm
.
Geographical distribution including BOLD data.
Genetically identified from France and Norway. Previously described from Denmark, Norway (
Nurminen 1965b
) the United Kingdom and Sweden (
Erseus
1977
). BIN-number: BOLD:AAU1636.
Remarks.
Specimens in this study are smaller and possess somewhat fewer chaetae, than the ones from the original description by Stephenson and the later re-description by Nielsen and Christensen. Furthermore, the observed proportions of the sperm funnels (twice longer than wide) differ greatly from those (7-10:1, or 6-8:1) described by Stephenson and Nielsen and Christensen, respectively. However, folding of these organs may have caused us to underestimate their true length. Nevertheless, the distinct greenish colour of the sampled specimens and the resemblance between their spermathecae and particularly the one described by Nielsen and Christensen confirm these specimens as
Lumbricillus viridis
.
According to our knowledge, the presence of gland cells along the spermathecal ectal duct has not been reported for
L. viridis
before, possibly because of the difficulty of distinguishing these gland cells from the large ones surrounding the ectal pore. In this study, similar duct glands have only been observed in
L. pagenstecheri
sensu lato.
Lumbricillus viridis
is genetically most closely related to the
L. pagenstecheri
species complex (Fig. 1:
L. pagenstecheri
A-D
).