5/24/2012Metaphireor Amynthas sefuriensis sp. nov. ⇒ Metaphiresefuriensis sp. nov.
6/16/2012Metaphiresefuriensis sp. Nov.⇒Metaphire hilgendorfi v. Sefuri
Metaphire hilgendorfi species group
Metaphire vesiculata (Goto & Hatai, 1899)
Material examined:Hisayama T. Inojinguu shrine,July 20, 1978. BL. 83 x 4.1mm.
. Fig. 7 is the Sketch of Ino specimen. (Measurement record: Ino)
Diagnosis: Two pairs of spermathecal pores ca. 0.44 body circumference apart in furrows 6/7/8. Genital markings are nothing. There is one internal gland near each spermathecal duct. But, it was not “Nephridia on spermathecal ducts”. Diverticulum is equal to Ampula in length. Male pores within shallowcopulatory pouches on segment 18 with two internal gland near spermathecal duct.Male pores ca. 0.31 circumference apart with 11 setae between male pores.Prostatic gonad occupying segments 16-21. Prostatic duct is U shape and relatively small. There are two internal glands near the end of duct. Intestinal caeca was manicate
Fig. 7 Metaphire vesiculata (Goto & Hatai, 1899): A. Ventral view of spermathecal pore. B. Ventral view of male pore. C. Spermathecal pore. (The diverticulum in 7/8 has come off from the duct.). D. Prostatic gonad and duct. E. Caeca.
Remark: Nephridia absent from spermathecal ducts.But, there is one large internal gland near each spermathecal duct. These internal glands exists at the position, which seems to be mistaken, "Nephrida on spermatheal ducts".
Note and Distribution: "After Blakemore 2003" said,
"Ishizuka (1999b) described Pheretima okutamaensis and its synonym P. biggiberosa with spermathecae in 6/7/8 and male pores in copulatory pouches (everted during preservation in biggiberosa?) with secretory diverticula internally. However, no mention of nephridia on the spermathecal ducts was made nor were any shown in figures, therefore these two names are provisionally placed under Metaphire vesiculata, along with P. koellikeri, pending further resolution."
Metaphirehilgendorfi v. sefuri
Material examined:Nakagawa T. Mt. Sefruri (Alt. 1055m), August 25, 1986, 102 x 6.1mm. Fukuoka C. Higashi District Shikanosima shrine, June 4, 2004, 131 x 7.0mm. Fig. 8 is the Sketch of Sefurispecimen. (Measurement records: Sefuri, Shika)
Diagnosis: Two pairs of spermathecal pores ca. 0.42 -0.5 body circumference apart in furrows 6/7/8. Diverticulum is equal to Ampula in length. Genital markings paired just on setal line near spermathecal pores of 6/7 and 7/8. There is small internal gland corresponding to the external papillae. Male pores present in a hollow place (a depression). Then, present taxa is put in genus Metaphire. There are two genital papillae on setal line near male pore. Male pores ca. 0.38-0.5 circumference apart with 8-9 setae between male pores.Prostatic gonad occupied segments 15-23, and Prostatic duct is U shape and large. There is glandular massat just the end of Prostatic duct The intestinal caeca are manicate on segment 27.
Fig. 8 Metaphire hilgendorfi v. Sefuri A. Ventral view of spermathecal pore. B. Ventral view of male pore. (B’. Twice close-up of right male pore). C. Spermathecal pore. (The diverticulum in 7/8 has come off from the duct.). D. Prostatic gonad and duct. E. Caeca.
Remark: If "Male pores are superficial in a hollow" is excluded, SefuriandShika, these are almost corresponding to Diagnosis of Amynthas tokioensis.Samuel W. James (2004) stated that decision should be evaluated with an independent data set, because it is possible that the small pockets of certain Amynthas could have evolved independently of the intramural pouches of Metaphire. However, the hollow of Sefuri andShika can already be confirmed when alive. The problem whether these belong to Amynthas or belong to Metaphire remains.
Note and Distribution: If male pore is superficial or "Whether it is in hollow or not?" is not asked, "Metaphiresefuriensis " is almost the same as Amynthas tokioensis. In Mt. Sefuri, Metaphirehilgendorfi v. sefuri is both collected with Metaphire hilgendorfi. Amynthas tokioensis、Metaphire hilgendorfi and Metaphire vesiculata. In these taxa, Position of spermathecal pore and the morph of the spermathecal diverticular bulbs and the morph of prostatic duct look alike well mutually. Only shape around Male pore is mutually different little by little.
Etymology. (Variety)Named after the locality.
Metaphire hilgendorfi (Michaelsen, 1892)
Material examined:Mt. Sefuri(Alt. 1055mm). August 25, 1986, 103 x 4.5mm.Fig. 9 is the Sketch ofVesihilg. (Measurement record: Vesihilg)
Diagnosis: Two pairs of spermathecal pores ca. 0.44 body circumference apart in furrows 6/7/8. Diverticulum is equal to Ampula in length. Male pores within copulatory pouches on segment 18. Male pores ca. 0.44 circumference apart with 11 setae between male pores.Prostatic duct is U or loop shape. Genital markings as presetal, central patches in segment 8 and 18.In internally, there is a collective of (capsulogenous) glands in mid ventral corresponding to genital patches of body surface in both of segments 8 and 18.
Remark: The feature of specimen described up is corresponding to that of Metaphire hilgendorfi (Michaelsen, 1892) well.
Fig. 9 Amynthas hilgendorfi (Michaelsen, 1892): A. Ventral view of spermathecal pore. B. Ventral view of male pore. (B’. Twice close-up of right male pore). C. Spermathecal pore. D. Prostatic gonad and duct. E. Caeca.
Note and distribution:Most individuals of Metahire hilgendorfi collected from Fukuoka prefecture was degraded morph lacking male organ (and sometime lacking also female organ).Only the specimens (of Metaphire hilgendorfi )collectedthe vicinity of the top of Mt. Sefuri (Alt. 1050 m) have with full sexual organ (of male and female). Son and Paik (1969) reported thatLots of specimens from many districts of mainland seldom had male pore. However, twenty-two out of twenty three specimens from Daglets Is; Evidently had both male pore and prostate gland.(Pheretima hilgendorfi inp15-16 of Son and Paik (1969).In Mt. Sefuri (Alt. 1055mm), Metaphire hilgendorfi was collected with Metaphirehilgendorfiv. sefuri.
Discussion
A.tokioensis, A. vittatus, Amynthas tokioensisv. akizuki, Amynthas tokioensisv. hakozaki and Amynthas tokioensisv. munakata, these are superficial male pore, two pair spermathecal pore in 6/7/8 and U shapeof prostatic duct and manicate caeca.The difference among A.tokioensis, A. vittatus and A.tokioensis v. akizuki was only the number of genital markings around spermathecal pore and male pore. The difference is mall. Male pore of A. tokioensisv. hakozaki is characterized by large disc and two genital papillae, which touch the disc. This features can be clearly distinguished from A.tokioensis, A. vittatusand A.tokioensisv. akizuki. However, other features look like well for mutual. Male disc of A.tokioensis v. munakata is a little small compared with that of A. tokioensis v. hakozaki. The number of genital papillae, which touches the disc, is always 2 in A. tokioensis v. hakozaki, and the range of 1-3 in A. tokioensisv. munakata.A. tokioensisv. munakata has the intermediatemorph between A. tokioensis and A. tokioensisv. hakozaki.
M. hilgendorfi (the type having full male organ) , M. vesiculata、Metaphire hilgendorfi v. sefuri, these are two pair of spermathecal pore in 6/7/8 and U shapeof prostatic duct. But, the male pore of these species is in not superficial but in small copulatory pouches (M. hilgendorfand M. vesiculata) or in the hollowMetaphire hilgendorfi v, sefuri. The patches of genital marking appeared on segment 8 and 18, of M. hilgendorfi, but not appeared in M. vesiculata. In Metaphire hilgendorfi v, sefuri, male pore present in hollow, and there are two genital papillae around male pore in hollow. If whether Male pore is "Superficial" or "In hollow" is excluded, the number and the arrangement of genital papillae extremely look like that of A. tokioensisspecies group.
Amynthas tokioensisv. humanare three pairs of spermathecal pores paired in 5/6/7/8, U shape of prostatic duct and manicate caeca. But, the male pore of this taxa are superficial, differentiating the copulating bursae of Metaphire communissima.
Thus, provisionalcomposite diagnosis of Metaphire hilgendorfi/Amynthas tokioensis species complex fully equipped with sexual organ is can be summarized as follow,
Spermathecal poreswidely paired in some of 5/6/7/8, or 6/7/8, and (additionally 6/7/8/9 for Metaphire yamadai). Prostatic duct is U (or loop) shape. Genital marking on body surface had a difference by taxa. Genital markings are absent, or as clusters of one or more papillated pores and there are several (mass– one) glands near the end of ductcorresponding to external genital marking. Intestinal caeca manicate originating in segment 27. The length of ampula+duct generally is almost equal to or shorter than diverticulum+duct.Male poresis superficial or disc (Amynthas), or in copulatory pouches (Metaphire).
These were summarized to Table 1 of Chapter three. The systematic relations between taxa in species complex are discussed in Chapter 3 again.
The distribution of complete morph
The polymorph frequency of complete morph and degraded morph in field population was studied in Chapter 2. The following was discussed from the result. (See Chapter 2)
Complete morph of Amynthas tokioensis and Amynthas vittatus (synonym of Amynthas tokioensis) is distributed in wide range of Japan, also in Fukuoka Kyushu Japan. Otherwise, several new variety belonging to Metaphire hilgendorfi /Amynthas tokioensis species complex were collected from Fukuoka prefecture. These are Amynthas tokioensisv. hakozaki, Amynthas tokioensis v. munakata, Amynthas tokioensisvar. akizuki, Amynthas tokioensisv. homanand Metaphire hilgendorfi v. sefuri. Each of new taxa distributed in each specific area (See fig. 2-3 in chapter two).
Oppositely, Metaphire communissima, Metaphire yamadai and Metaphire servina are not collected from Fukuoka. Especially, Metaphire servina is distributed only partially of pinewoods in under accumulated withered leaves of Pinus Thuytbergii in Tohoku region of Japan: Miyagi Prefecture and Aomori Prefecture in Japan (Hatai and Ohfuchi (1937)). I think, several new varieties of Amynthas tokioensis collected from Fukuoka prefecture besides Metaphire communissima, Metaphire servina, Metaphire yamadai, these are eco-type or variety of species complex, each adapting to each habitat.
Reference
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[[Robert J. Blakemore, Japanese earthworms (Annelida: Oligochaeta): a review and checklist of species. Org. Divers. Evol. 3, Electr. Suppl. 11: 1 - 43 (2003)]]
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BlakemoreR. J. (2010): Saga of Herr Hilgendorf’s worms…Zoology in the Middle East Supplementum 2, 2010
Easton, E. G. (1981): Japanese earthworms: a synopsis of the megadrile species (Oligochaeta). Bull. Br. Mus. Nat. Hist. (Zool.) 40(2): 33-65.
Ishizuka, K. (1999): New species of the genus Pheretima s. lat. (Annelida, Oligochaeta, Megascolecidae) from Tokyo, Japan – Species with manicate intestinal caeca. Bull. Natn. Sci. Mus., Tokyo 25(1): 33-57. [Published 23 March 1999].
Kobayashi, S. (1937): On the breeding habit of the earthworms without male pores. I Isolating
experiments in Pheretima hilgendorfi (Michaelsen). Sci. Rep. Tohoku Imp.Univ. 11(4): 473-485
Ohfuchi, S. (1938a): On the variability of the opening and the structure of the spermatheca and the male organ in Pheretima irregularis. Saito Ho-On Kai Mus.Res. Bull. 15: 1-31.
Sims, R. W. & Easton, E. G. (1972): A numerical revision of the earthworm genus Pheretima auct. (Megascolecidae: Oligochaeta) with the recognition of new genera and an appendix on the earthworms collected by the Royal Society North Borneo Expedition. Biol. J. Linn. Soc. 4: 169-268.
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