Nine new earthworm species of Proandricus Plisko, 1992 from South Africa and Lesotho (Oligochaeta: Microchaetidae) Author Plisko, Jadwiga Danuta text African Invertebrates 2002 2002-12-31 43 183 204 journal article 10.5281/zenodo.7666001 2305-2562 7666001 Proandricus martensi sp. n. ( Fig. 7 ) Etymology: Named for Dr K. Martens from the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Science, who assisted Dr M. Hamer of the School of Botany & Zoology, University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, in collecting the type specimen. Material examined: SOUTH AFRICA : KwaZulu-Natal : Holotype NMSA /Olig.03525 clitellate, Drakensberg Gardens , Mzimkulwane area ( 29º42'S : 29º19'E ) on surface of path during rainy day, 16 February 1998 , M. Hamer and K. Martens leg. Paratypes : NMSA /Olig.03526 3 clitellate and 3 juvenile , Underberg area ( 29º46'S : 29º32'E ), Tegwan Farm , from pasture at ca. 15 cm depth, 23 November 2001 , A. Sanders leg. Description based on holotype and paratypes . External characters: General : Body cylindrical. Colour : Alcohol-preserved whitish-grey. Dimensions : Preserved holotype 115 mm long, 4 mm wide at segment 10, 6 mm at tubercula pubertatis; paratypes 92+ – 145 mm long, 7 mm wide at segment 10, 8 mm at tubercula pubertatis. Segment number : Holotype 326, paratypes (abscides197+) and 300. Prostomium : Prolobous, moderate. Segmentation : Secondary annulation present on preclitellar segments; 1 and 2 with longitudinal grooves; 3 simple, as long as first ringlet of segment 4; 4–8 with two simple ringlets, similar in size and appearance; 9 with two ringlets, second shorter than first; segments 10–12 and postclitellar simple. Setae : Small, closely paired; first pairs of ab on segment 3; on annulated segments on first ringlet; postclitellarly ab nearly equal to cd . Nephridial pores : Conspicuous, near cd setal lines; first pair in intersegmental furrow 3/4. Female pores : In 14, slightly below ab setae. Male pores : Externally not evident; probably in segment 18, or in intersegmental furrow 17/18 or 18/19, this position suggested by vasa deferentia entering body wall in segment 18. Spermathecal pores : In intersegmental furrows 11/12 and 12/13. Clitellar region ( Fig.7 ): Clitellum : Saddle-shaped, segmented; on holotype on 13–23 with clitellar tissues on segment 13 much thinner than on following clitellar segments; on paratypes all clitellar segments 13–23 evenly covered. On segments 13–16 and 20– 23 clitellar ventral edges extended nearly to ab setal lines; on 17–19 terminating at edges of tubercula pubertatis. Tubercula pubertatis : On segments 17–19, close to ab setae, a pair of narrow, swollen, segmented ridges extending longitudinally; segmented surfaces extending between lateral borders of ridges and clitellar borders becoming vertically stretched, curved and at joints with clitellum they modify into longitudinal cavities. On paratypes a ratio of the curved segmental surfaces converted into cavities varies; it could be due to different states of maturity. Papillae : On 10 and 11 paired, small swellings around ab setae; on 12 and 24 moderate in size, swollen tubercles containing ab setae; all associated with genital glands. Internal characters: Septa : 4/5 5/6 6/7 thin, not thickened; 7/8 and 8/9 thickened, muscular, similar in size and appearance; other septa thin, firm. Gizzard : In 7, muscular, posteriorly soft. Calciferous glands : In 9, globular, connected with oesophagus vertically; distantly separated dorsally and ventrally. Intestine : Commences in 13. Typhlosole : Commences in 13 as narrow V-shaped tube, gradually enlarging, and in segment 20 becoming large and U-shaped; terminates in holotype in 133, in paratypes 128–147. Dorsal blood vessel : In 4–7 double only in posterior parts of segments, not separated; in 8 double, separated; in 9 double, cordiform; single when crossing septa, in 10 and in the following segments. Paired dorsoventral vessels : Thin vessels in 5–8, enlarged, moniliform in 9–11. Nephridia : Meganephridia ; coiled loops and V-shaped, short caeca. Reproductive organs: Spermiductal funnels : Proandric arrangement (in segment 10); one pair of large funnels enclosed in common sac; both funnels closely connected with seminal sacs at posterior part of segment 10; iridescence confirms presence of sperm. Vasa deferentia : Single ducts commence from spermiductal funnels at their lateral sides and run backward medially at each side of body to segment 18, where they enter body wall; it is difficult to determine exact entry to male pores because these are not marked externally; probably they are in intersegmental furrow 18/19 or 17/18. Seminal vesicles : One pair of moderate vesicles, anteriorly connected with spermiductal funnels at septum 10/11, and confined to segment 11. Spermathecae : Two pairs per segment near septa 11/12 and 12/13; tiny, irregularly shaped thecae; anterior pair much smaller than posterior. Ovaries : Not observed, covered by body wall tissue. Genital glands : In segments 12 and 24; paired, moderate in size and similar in appearance, two-folded, elongated glands, associated with papillae. Biological notes: Collected on outskirts of Drakensberg escarpment, in Afromontane forest with alien plantations of wattle and pine trees. Holotype associated with the new species michelleae , described below. Paratypes found in Drakensberg foothills were associated with the introduced species Octolasion lacteum (Oerley, 1885), which occurs commonly in the neighbouring pastures and grasslands. Discussion: P . martensi can be assigned to the P . colletti species-group, having only septa 7/8 and 8/9 thickened and spermathecal pores in two intersegmental furrows 11/ 12 and 12/13. Similar to my new species michelleae , but both species differ distinctly in the shape of the clitellum and tubercula pubertatis.