Table Of ContentPROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON
114(l):275-279. 200L
Fridericia nanningensis, a new terrestrial enchytraeid species
(Oligochaeta) from southwestern China
Zhicai Xie, Yanling Liang, and Ji Wang
State Key Laboratory ofFreshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, and Institute of Hydrobiology,
The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei 430072, P. R. China; e-mail: [email protected]
—
Abstract. Fridericia nanningensis, anew species from wetland soil ofNan-
hu Park, Nanning city, the capital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in
southwest China, is described. It is characterized by 2-4 chaetae per bundle,
poorly-developed clitellar glands, slender, unbranched peptonephridia, and
spermathecae with 2 ampullar diverticula, a deep constriction in the middle of
the ampulla and one large ectai gland. It is closely related to the European
&
species, F. alata Nielsen Christensen, 1959 and the East European species,
F. tubulosa Dozsa-Farkas, 1972 by the shape of peptonephridia and the un-
developed clitellar glands. It differs from F. alata by its shorter body length
and fewer chaetae per bundle, its type of coelomocytes (type "c"), its deep
constriction in the middle ofthe spermathecae ampulla and alarger ectal gland,
and it differs from F. tubulosa by its pale epidermal glands, its more anterior
origin of the dorsal vessel, a deep constriction in the middle ofthe spermathe-
cae ampulla, shorter ectal duct, and only one ectal gland at the spermathecal
orifice.
Since Henlea ventriculosa (d'Udekem, Methods
1854) was first reported from Tibet by Ste-
Enchytraeids were sampled fromwetland
phenson (cited in Cemosvitov 1941), nearly
40 terrestrial enchytraeid species from Chi- soil of Nanhu Park (22°50'N, 108°15'E),
na have been recorded (Chen 1959; Liang Nanning city, the capital of Guangxi
1979; Xu 1989; Liang & Xie 1992; Wang Zhuang Autonomous Region in southwest
China and extracted by the wet-funnel
1999; Xie 1999a, 1999b; Xie 2000a; 2000b,
& method (O'Connor 1962). After observa-
2000c, 2000d; Xie Rota in press). In
tion in vivo, worms were fixed in 10% for-
spite of these works, the terrestrial enchy- malin. Whole worms were stained in borax
traeids in the country are still poorly stud- carmine or paracarmine, dehydrated in an
ied, and the investigated regions are mainly
alcohol series and mounted in Canada bal-
covered in the Changjiang (Yangtze) Basin sam. Figures were drawn with a camera lu-
and some localities of the northeastern re- cida. The types are deposited in the Speci-
gions. Concerning the southwestern region men Room ofInvertebrates, Institute ofHy-
of China, however, no species have been drobiology, the Chinese Academy of Sci-
reported. In 1992, a preliminary faunistic ences, China.
survey ofterrestrial microdriles in Guangxi Unless otherwise specifiedinthe descrip-
Zhuang Autonomous Region in China was tion, measurements ofbody dimensions and
carried out. Among the specimens collect- internal organs refer to whole-mounted
ed, one species of Fridericia was recog- specimens. The type of oesophageal ap-
nized as a new species. Its description is pendages ("peptonephridia", see Rudiger
&
given herein. Westheide 2000) and nucleated coelom-
276 PROCEEDINGS OF THE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON
ocytes are defined according to Nielsen & intestinal floor ofXIX-XXII {n = 4). Blood
Christensen (1959) and Moller (1971). colourless. Dorsal vessel originating in
XVII-XVIII. Nephridia from 6-7 onwards,
Fridericia nanningensis new species 5 pairs before clitellum. Anteseptal part
Fig. lA-E oval, 1.5-2 times as long as postseptale;
— postseptale oval, with efferent duct origi-
Holotype. Fully mature, whole-mount- nating mid-ventrally (Fig. ID). Nucleated
ed specimen. coelomocytes oval, with regular outline,
Type locality.—HsiX^hvi Park (22°50'N, evenly granulated (type "c" sensu Moller
108°15'E), Nanning city, wetland brown 1971), 27-30 |JLm long in vivo and ca. 18-
soil under grass roots, with little humus, pH 22 fxm in fixed materials. Anucleate cor-
6.5, 15 Sep 19—92, coll. Z. Xie and H. Wang. puscles discoid, 7-8 ixm in size (Fig. IB).
Paratypes. 7 whole-mounted speci- Seminal vesicles well-developed, dorsal,
mens, from type locality. — anterior distension extending to X, andpos-
Other material examined. Ca. 20 addi- terior to XII. Sperm funnels cylindrical, ca.
tional specimens were examined in vivo; 160-180 (xm long and 70-80 |xm wide,
they are preserved in 10% formalin, also with a narrower collar (Fig. IC). Vasa de-
from type locality, coll. Z. Xie and H. ferentia confined to XII, irregularly coiled.
Wang. — Penial bulbs hemispherical in lateral view
Description. ^Worms slender, somewhat and nearly oblong in ventral view, with
sluggish. Live dimensions: length 7-9 mm, compact glandular mass, ca. 147 ixm long,
width of clitellum 230-250 |xm. Preserved 42 |jLm wide, 38 |xm high. No egg sac. Usu-
dimensions: length 3.5-6.5 mm (n = 8), ally 2 mature eggs at one time.
width in IV 182-190 iJim, 200-210 |xm at Spermathecae in V, ental ducts short and
clitellum, 160-170 |xm in posterior seg- communicating with oesophagus separately
ments. Segments 28-40 {n = 8). Epidermal (Fig. IE). Ampulla conical, with deep con-
gland cells pale in vivo, arranged trans- striction in middle region, 100-105 |xm
versely, 3-4 rows per segment. Chaetae long and 45-50 |jLm wide; carrying two ses-
straight, with distinct ental hook, 4 (usually sile, oval diverticula (44-50 |xm long and
2-3 in II or III) per bundle anteriorly (ca. 25-30 |jLm wide). Spermatozoa scattered in
until XIV-XVI) and 2-3 posteriorly. The lumen. Ectal ducts 154-160 [xm long and
largest chaetae (outer pair) occurring in 11-12 |xm wide. One oval granular gland
caudal segments, 48-54 |xm long and ca. 5 (ca. 18-20 (x—m) at each ectal opening.
(xm thick. Head pore at 0/1, longitudinally Etymology. Named '^nanningensis'' for
elongate. Dorsal pores from VII onwards. the type locality. —
Chtellum over XII-1/2XIII, clitellar glands Distribution and habitat. Known only
poorly-developed, forming ca. 20-23 trans- from Nanning City. At the type locality, it
verse rows. co-occurs with other enchytraeid taxa:
Brain round posteriorly, 30-36 jxm long Achaeta brevivasa Graefe, 1980, Hem-
and 22-26 ixm wide. Three pairs of pha- ienchytraeus bifurcatus Nielsen & Chris-
ryngeal glands in IV-VI, all united dorsally tensen, 1959, Hemienchytraeus stephensoni
and with distinct ventral lobes (Fig. lA). (Cognetti, 1927), Enchytraeus athecatus
Oesophageal appendages unbranched, slen- Wang, 1999, andMarionina sp. (immature).
der, coiled (2-4 loops) in IV-V and ending
in VI-VII in vivo and IV-V in fixed spec- Discussion
&
imens (type "b", sensu Nielsen Chris-
tensen 1959) (Fig. lA). Chylus cells in Among all known species of Fridericia
XIII-XV Chloragogen cells not dense from with elongate and unbranched oesophageal
V onwards. A ridge of tall hyaline cells on appendages, the new species is most closely
VOLUME 114, NUMBER 1 277
L U
Fig. 1. Fridericia nanningensis, new species. A, Dorsal view of anterior segments; B, coelomocytes; C,
spermfunnel; D, nephridiumat%; E, spermatheca; Scale: A, 100 |xm;B, 20 fxm; C, D, E, 50 |xm. Abbreviations:
ac, anucleate corpuscle; co, collar; di, diverticulum; ed, efferent duct; end, ental duct; eg, ectal gland; hp, head
pore; nc, nucleated coelomocyte; oe, oesophagus; oea, oesophageal appendage; ph, pharynx; phg, pharyngeal
gland; sa, spermathecal ampulla; vd, vasa deferentia.
related to the European species, Fridericia chaetae per bundle, longer ental ducts
& &
alata Nielsen Christensen, 1959 and the (Nielsen Christensen 1959, Fig. 80), the
East European species, Fridericia tubulosa type of coelomocytes (type "a"; MoUer
Dozsa-Farkas, 1972. They all have apoorly 1971), and a smaller ectal gland. Fridericia
developed clitellum and two spermathecal tubulosa differs from F. nanningensis by
diverticula. However, F. alata differs from having longer body size (12—18 mm, 40-
F. nanningensis by having a longer body 50 segments), yellowish or brownish epi-
size (12-20 mm, 54-64 segments), up to 6 dermal glands, a relatively more posterior
278 PROCEEDINGS OFTHE BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON
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Table 1. Comparison ofFridericia nanningensis, new species, with allied species.
F. nanningensis. F. alata F. tubulosa
new species Nielsen&Christensen, 1959 Dozsa-Farkas. 1972
Length (mm) 7-9 12-20 12-18
Segments 28-40 54-64 40-50
Chaetae/bundle 2-4 4-6 2-A
Clitellum weakly developed weakly developed weakly developed
Epidermal glands pale indistinct yellowish or brownish
Oesophageal appendages type "b" type "b" type "b"
Origin ofdorsal vessel XVII-XVIII ca. XX XIX-XXIII
Efferent duct ofnephridia mid-ventral mid-ventral ventral
Nucleated coelomocyte type "c" type "a" 9
Sperm funnel (length width) 2:1 2.5-3:1 3:1
:
Seminal vesicle well-developed well-developed well-developed
Ectal duct: ampulla 1.5-1.6:1 6-6.5:1 2-2.5:1
Ampulla constriction no constriction no constriction
Number ofectal glands at
each spermathecal opening 1 1 2
Distribution China Europe East Europe
origin of the dorsal vessel (XIX-XXIII), a China (NNSF) (No. 39670148), the Chi-
longer ectal duct, and 2 conspicuous ectal nese Academy of Sciences (CAS) (Key
glands at each spermathecal opening. The Projects Nos. KZ951-A1-102-01 and
differences between these species are sum- KZ951-B1-104; and a special grant for sys-
marized in Table 1. tematic and evolutionary biology), the Di-
With the addition of F. nanningensis, a rector Fund of Institute of Hydrobiology of
total of 12 species ofFridericia are known CAS.
from the country (Table 2).
Literature Cited
Acknowledgments —
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