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 qiui Marchán, Decäens & Domínguez , n. sp. ( Fig. 3E ) urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 78F07B1F-8F87-4BC8-A454-5E7E3096EC24 TYPE MATERIAL . — Holotype . Corsica • Adult ; Corse du Sud , Zonza ; 41°44’34”N , 9°11’42”E ; 785 m a.s.l. ; 4.IV.2021 ; T. Decaëns , D. Fernández Marchán leg.; BOLD Sample ID: DFM-0235 ; MNHN . Paratypes . Corsica • 1 juvenile specimen ; Corse du Sud , Olivese (D69 road) ; 41°50’13”N , 9°5’45”E ; 1178 m a.s.l. ; 6.IV.2021 ; T. Decaëns , D. Fernández Marchán leg.; BOLD Sample ID: DFM-0273 ; MNHN • 2 adult specimens; Corse du Sud, Zicavo , Ponte di Valpine ; 41°52’33”N , 9°7’58”E ; 1248 m a.s.l. ; 3.IV.2021 ; T . Decaëns , D. Fernández Marchán leg.; BOLD Sample ID: DFM-0441, DFM-0442; MNHN • 3 adult specimens; Corse du Sud , Zonza ; 41°44’34”N , 9°11’42”E ; 785 m a.s.l. ; 4.IV.2021 ; T . Decaëns , D. Fernández Marchán leg.; BOLD Sample ID: DFM-0230, DFM-0232, DFM-0233; Eco&Sols • 4 adult specimens, 1 juvenile specimen; same data as for preceding; BOLD Sample ID: DFM-0234, DFM-0236, DFM-0237, DFM-0238, DFM-0248; MNHN • 4 adult specimens, 7 juvenile specimens; Corse du Sud, Zonza , Pacciunituli (D368 road); 41°43’26”N , 9°12’10”E ; 940 m a.s.l. ; 4.IV.2021 ; T. Decaëns , D. Fernández Marchán leg.; BOLD Sample ID: DFM-0159, DFM-0160, DFM-0161, DFM-0162, DFM-0163, DFM-0164, DFM-0165, DFM-0166, DFM-0167, DFM-0168, DFM-0169; MNHN • 2 adult specimens; Corse du Sud, Zonza , Pacciunituli (D67 road); 41°44’9”N , 9°10’51”E ; 813 m a.s.l. ; 03.IV.2021 ; T . Decaëns , D. Fernández Marchán leg.; BOLD Sample ID: DFM-0434, DFM-0435; MNHN • 5 adult specimens; Corse du Sud, Zonza , Samulaghia ; 41°45’43”N , 9°13’8”E ; 975 m a.s.l. ; 4.IV.2021 ; T . Decaëns , D. Fernández Marchán leg.; BOLD Sample ID: DFM-0483, DFM-0484, DFM-0485, DFM-0486, DFM-0487); MNHN . ETYMOLOGY. — This species is named after Prof. Jianping Qiu, in recognition to its significant contribution to the taxonomic knowledge of the genus Scherotheca . DIAGNOSIS. — Scherotheca qiui Marchán, Decäens & Domínguez , n. sp. can be distinguished from non-Corsican species of Scherotheca by the shorter and more anterior clitellum. It resembles Scherotheca litoralis Marchán, Decäens & Domínguez , n. sp. and Scherotheca mausoleana Marchán, Decäens & Domínguez , n. sp. , from which it differs by the absence of pigmentation, the number of seminal vesicles (2 pairs instead of 4 pairs in its close relatives) and by the shorter tubercula pubertatis (30-33( 1 / n 34) instead of 30-34(35) ( Table 1 ; 2 ; Figs 2 ; 3E ). COI uncorrected average pairwise distances and topology of multilocus molecular phylogenetic trees support the status of Sch. qiui Marchán, Decäens & Domínguez , n. sp. as separate from other morphologically similar species. DISTRIBUTION AND ECOLOGY. — Scherotheca qiui Marchán, Decäens & Domínguez , n. sp. was found in several localities in the region of Zonza and Zicavo, Corse du Sud ( Figure 4a ), mainly in Pinus laricio forests at moderate elevations ( 785 to 1248 m ), with some individuals found in Fagus sylvatica forests and shrublands. DESCRIPTION External morphology Body unpigmented.White-beige in fixed specimens ( Fig. 3E ). Average length, 74 mm ( 64-89 mm , n = 13 adults ); body cylindrical in cross-section; average number of segments, 138 (119-152, n = 11 adults ; 142 segments in the holotype ). Average weight (fixed specimens), 0.92 g ( 0.60-1.4 g , n = 2 adults ). Prostomium epilobous, closed. Longitudinal furrows in segments 1 and 2. First dorsal pore in intersegmental furrow (9/10)10/11. Nephridial pores “en solfège” (irregularly distributed). Spermathecal pores at intersegmental furrows 12/13 and 13/ 14 in setal line c . Male pores in segment 15, surrounded by a well-developed porophore. Female pores in segment 14. Clitellum saddle-shaped in segments (26)27- 35(36). Tubercula pubertatis in segments 30-33(1/ n 34). Chaetae small and closely paired. Genital papillae in segments 11-14,16, (26)27, 28, (29)34, 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. Two pairs of reniform seminal vesicles in segments 11 and 12, sometimes with one or two pairs of vestigial seminal vesicles in segments 9 and 10. Ovaries and female funnels in segment 13, ovarian receptacles (ovisacs) in segment 14. Two pairs of small globular spermathecae in segments 12 and 13 (intersegments 12/13, 13/14). Nephridial bladders U-shaped, reclinate in segment 30. REMARKS This species corresponds to Sc. corsicana L 2 in the checklist of Corsican earthworms of Marchán et al. (2022a) . Scherotheca quiui n. sp. displayed a level of intraspecific genetic divergence which was slightly above the expected threshold (around 9%), which could indicate the existence of cryptic genetic linages.