Description of two new species of the earthworm genus, Metaphire (Clitellata: Megascolecidae), from Kedah, Peninsular Malaysia

Digital Gems > Biodiversity Library of Southeast Asia

Language

English

Creator

Ng, B.
Bantaowong, U.
Tongkerd, P.
Panha, S.

Source Title

The Raffles Bulletin of Zoology

Publication date

2018/03/08

Publisher

Dept. of Zoology, National University of Singapore, Singapore

Page

132–141

Content Type

Journal Article

Object Type

Text

Terms of Use

Open Access

Access Status

Open

Repository

NUS Libraries

Start File Page

132

End File Page

141

Volume

66

Issue

1

Call Number

QL319 NMB

Subject

Earthworm -- Malaysia -- Kedah -- Identification
Earthworm -- Malaysia -- Kedah -- Identification -- Classification

Keyword

taxonomy
DNA barcode
terrestrial earthworm
Malay Peninsula

Abstract

A field survey of terrestrial earthworms was conducted in the states of Penang, Kedah, and Perak, in Peninsular Malaysia, and revealed two new species of terrestrial earthworm belonging to the genus Metaphire Sims & Easton, 1972, which are described herein. Metaphire sedimensis new species, belongs to the octothecal group, characterised by having small circular of genital markings on post-setal of VI, VII, VIII, XVII, and XVIII. Metaphire hijaunensis new species, has three pairs of spermathecae at VII–IX, typical of the sexthecal houlleti species group but differs from these other members by its body size, position of the intestine origin and the number and shape of genital marking glands. Evolutionary divergence between the new species and their most closely related species revealed a high interspecific genetic distance of 16.4–22.9%, while the pairwise distance between M. sedimensis new species, and M. hijauensis new species was 21.3%. The detailed descriptions and illustrations of the two new species are supplemented with their DNA barcodes in order to facilitate future species identifications.

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