New genera and new species of earthworms (Oligochaeta: Octochaetidae) from Western Ghats, South India Author Julka, J. M. Author Blanchart, Eric Author Chapuis-Lardy, Lydie text Zootaxa 2004 486 1 27 journal article 10.5281/zenodo.157661 65483b24-e197-4508-9c49-50fb2a6ec291 1175­5326 157661 48073126-2C08-4E8A-8150-00C9DB50EBD6 Herbettodrilus bahli sp. nov. Type material: INDIA : Karnataka: Holotype ( HAZFS /ZSI An801), clitellate, near Herbettu [ 13°55'N 74°46'E ], 700m , forest, October 1991 (E. Blanchart). Diagnosis. Spermathecal pores paired, about equidistant from setal arc and furrow 7/8 on 8 slightly lateral to a lines, just anterior to setal arc on 9 at about mid ab ; female pores paired; genital markings absent; intestine begins in 18; last pair of hearts in 13; holandric, seminal vesicles in 9 and 12; penial and copulatory setae present. Description. Length 174 mm , diameter 4.5 mm , 198 segments. Prostomium prolobic. First dorsal pore at 7/8. Clitellum annular, 13–1/3 17 . Setae lumbricine, aa = 4.3 ab = 1.4 bc = 2.2 cd = 0.25 dd on 12, aa = 5 ab = 1.6 bc = 2.3 cd = 0.25 dd on 24; a , b on 8 and 9 copulatory. Male pores paired, minute, in seminal grooves, slightly lateral to a lines, on 18; prostatic pores paired, minute, at ends of seminal grooves on 17 and 19, at a lines; seminal grooves somewhat concave with ends slightly bent laterally. Female pores minute, paired, presetal, on 14, within a lines. Spermathecal pores paired, minute, about equidistant from setal arc and furrow 7/8 on 8, slightly lateral to a lines, just anterior to setal arc on 9 at about mid ab ( Fig. 20 ). Genital markings absent. Nephridiopores not recognised. Unpigmented. Septa 5/6 slightly muscular, 6/7–12/13 muscular. Gizzard large, in 5. Calciferous glands discrete, extramural, paired, each gland bilobed, one lobe in 15 and the other in 16, both discharging into oesophagus through a common duct in 15 just posterior to attachment of septum 14/15, Intestine begins in 18; intestinal caeca and supra­intestinal glands absent; typhlosole simple, lamelliform, 31 to 124 (94 segments). Dorsal blood vessel single, complete; supra­oesophageal vessel single, 8–13; extra­oesophageal vessels paired, recognised in 5, passing to ventral surface of oesophagus in 7; latero­parietal vessels paired, joining supra­oesophageal vessel in 13; subneural vessel absent; lateral hearts originating from supra­oesophageal vessel with delicate connectives to dorsal vessel in 10–13. Holandric, testes and male funnels paired, free, in 10 and 11; seminal vesicles in 9 and 12. Prostates tubular, paired, in 17 and 19; ducts looped. Penial setae ( Fig. 21 ) ornamented with widely spaced, tiny spines, tip pointed and slightly excavated on one side, 1.67 mm long, 19 diameter. Spermathecae ( Fig. 22 ) paired, in 8 and 9, each with a pair of small sessile, spheroidal to oval, ental diverticula; duct about one fifth the length of somewhat tubular ampulla. Copulatory setae ( Fig. 23 ) ornamented with longitudinal rows of gouges, tip claw­shaped, 0.79 mm long, 25 diameter. Micromeronephridia astomate, paired tufts in 3 discharging into buccal cavity through composite ducts, 8–10 exonephric on body wall in 4 and posteriad segments; stomate megameronephridia paired, in 15 and posteriad segments, funnels close to nerve cord, ducts extending laterally to mid­dorsal line to discharge into a pair of excretory canals that open into posterior part of rectum. Reproduction. Presumably biparental. Ingesta. Fine mineral soil, bits of leaves, roots and bark, and tiny seeds. Ecological data. H . bahli is found only in forests with following soil properties: OM content 6.6 g 100g­1 soil, C/N 11.5, proportion of gravels (> 2 mm ) 36%, clay content 50%, pH (water) 5.7, cations 6.9 cmol kg­1 soil, CEC 18.9 cmol kg­1 soil. Ecological category. The composition of intestinal ingest suggests that H . bahli may be anecic. Etymology. H. bahli is named after Prof. K.N. Bahl, an eminent authority on the excretory system of earthworms.