Four new earthworm species from the highlands of Cameroon with description of a new genus Okudrilus gen. n. (Oligochaeta: Eudrilidae & Acanthodrilidae)
Author
Csuzdi, Cs.
Author
Sherlock, E.
Author
Kouete, M. Talla
Author
Doherty-Bone, T. M.
text
African Invertebrates
2015
2015-01-27
56
1
25
38
http://dx.doi.org/10.5733/afin.056.0103
journal article
10.5733/afin.056.0103
2305-2562
Okudrilus
Csuzdi & Sherlock
gen. n.
Etymology: Referring to Mount Oku,
North-West Region
,
Cameroon
—the highest mountain in the region and a collecting locality of all three the new species. Gender: masculine.
Diagnosis:
Eudrilinae
with closely paired setae and paired male pores close to 17/18. Spermathecal pores preclitellar, paired between
a–a
. Female pores paired in 14 close to 14/15 near
d
. Oesophageal gizzard in 6, intestinal gizzards absent. Dorsal blood vessel simple throughout. Paired calciferous glands in 12 and unpaired chylous-sacs in 10, 11. Male genital apparatus metandric with long, backward-running vesicles. Excretory system holoic, vesiculate. Ovo-spermathecal apparatus paired with ventral interconnecting duct. Simple penial setae present.
All species in this genus are known only from highland areas above
1000 m
in the
North West Region
.
Type-species:
Okudrilus monticolus
sp. n.
Remarks:
Okudrilis
gen. n.
is similar to
Metascolex
Michaelsen,
1903
in the paired genital pores and metandric condition of the male genitalia; however,
Okudrilis
differs from it in the position of the gizzard (it is in
5 in
Metascolex
and
6 in
Okudrilus
), in the interconnected ovo-spermathecal system and furthermore by the presence of penial setae.
Okudrilis
with its paired calciferous glands in 12 and paired genital pores resembles
Vomia
Segun, 1976
as well, but differs from it in the metandric condition of the male genitalia and the long backward-running vesicles (Table 1).