The cradle of giants: insights into the origin of Scherotheca Bouché, 1972 (Lumbricidae, Crassiclitellata) with the descriptions of eight new species from Corsica, France Author Marchán, Daniel Fernández CEFE, Université de Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, 1919, route de Mende, F- 34293 Montpellier cedex 5 (France) danifermch @ gmail. com danifermch@gmail.com Author Domínguez, Jorge Universidade de Vigo, Grupo de Ecoloxía Animal (GEA), E- 36310 Vigo (Spain) Author Hedde, Mickaël Eco & Sols, INRAE, IRD, CIRAD, SupAgro Montpellier, Campus SupAgro, Bâtiment 12, 2 place Viala, F- 34060 Montpellier cedex 2 (France) mickael. hedde @ inrae. fr hedde@inrae.fr Author Decaëns, Thibaud CEFE, Université de Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, 1919, route de Mende, F- 34293 Montpellier cedex 5 (France) thibaud. decaens @ cefe. cnrs. fr decaens@cefe.cnrs.fr text Zoosystema 2023 2023-02-08 45 3 107 128 journal article 10.5252/zoosystema2023v45a3 bc090a4d-4bce-42e0-bf6b-fb4bd45ca811 1638-9387 7681295 urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:62C2AC78-741C-4675-8C3A-67E359EB369E Scherotheca boccaverghju Marchán, Decäens & Domínguez , n. sp. ( Fig. 3D ) urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 5A5 CAD 1F-B242-418D-856E-3646F3D64BD7 TYPE MATERIAL. — Holotype . Corsica • Adult ; Haute-Corse , Albertacce , Col de Vergio ; 42°17’27”N , 8°52’44”E ; 1450 m a.s.l. ; 28.III.2021 ; T. Decaëns , D. Fernández Marchán leg.; BOLD Sample ID: DFM-0054 ; MNHN . Paratypes . Corsica • 1 adult specimen; Haute-Corse, Albertacce , Col de Vergio ; 42°17’27”N , 8°52’44”E ; 1450 m a.s.l. ; 28.III.2021 ; T . Decaëns, D. Fernández Marchán leg.; BOLD Sample ID: DFM-0053; Eco&Sols • 1 juvenile specimen; same data as for preceding; BOLD Sample ID: DFM-0057; MNHN . ETYMOLOGY. — The species name is derived from the Corse name of the type locality (Bocca à Verghju, Col de Vergio). Name in apposition. DIAGNOSIS. — Scherotheca boccaverghju Marchán, Decäens & Domínguez , n. sp. can be distinguished from all the other species of Scherotheca by the combination of position of the clitellum in segments 27-36, tubercula pubertatis in segments 31-34(½ 35) and multiple spermathecae in segments 12 and 13 ( Table 1 ; 2 ; Figs 2 ; 3D ). COI uncorrected average pairwise distances and topology of multilocus molecular phylogenetic trees support the status of Scherotheca boccaverghju Marchán, Decäens & Domínguez , n. sp. as independent from other morphologically similar species. DISTRIBUTION AND ECOLOGY. — Sc. boccaverghju Marchán, Decäens & Domínguez , n. sp. was found in Col de Vergio, Albertacce ( Fig. 4A ), in an alpine grassland at a relatively high elevation ( 1450 m ). DESCRIPTION External morphology Body pigmentation faint brown. White-beige with dorsal brownish mid-segment brown bands in fixed specimens ( Fig.3D ). Average length, 109 mm ( 93-125 mm , n = 2 adults ); body cylindrical in cross-section; average number of segments, 189 (187-191, n = 2 adults ; 187 segments in the holotype ). Average weight (fixed specimens), 1.66 g ( 1.34-1.99 g , n = 2 adults ). Prostomium epilobous, closed. Longitudinal furrows in segments 1 and 2. First dorsal pore in unknown intersegmental furrow. Nephridial pores “en solfège” (irregularly distributed). Spermathecal pores in intersegmental furrows 12/13 and 13/ 14 in setal line c , multiple. Male pores in segment 15, surrounded by a well-developed porophore. Female pores in segment 14. Clitellum saddle-shaped in segments 27-36. Tubercula pubertatis in segments 31-34(½ 35). Chaetae small and closely paired. Genital papillae in segments 28,30,35,36. Internal anatomy Septa 5/6-10/11 thickened and muscular. Hearts in segments 6-11, oesophageal. Calciferous glands in segments 10-14, with diverticula in segment 10. Crop in segments 15-16, gizzard in segments 17-19. Typhlosole pinnate.Male sexual system holandric, testes and funnels (not enclosed in testes sacs, but with sperm present) located ventrally in segments 10 and 11. Four pairs of reniform seminal vesicles in segments 9, 10, 11 and 12, with the latter two pairs being significantly larger. Ovaries and female funnels in segment 13, ovarian receptacles (ovisacs) in segment 14. Multiple small globular spermathecae in segments 12 and 13 (intersegments 12/13, 13/14). Nephridial bladders U-shaped, reclinate in segment 30. REMARK This species corresponds to Sc. corsicana L 1 in the checklist of Corsican earthworms of Marchán et al. (2022a) .