New earthworms belonging to the genus of Amynthas Kinberg (Megascolecidae: Oligochaeta) and Drawida Michaelsen (Moniligastridae: Oligochaeta) from Guangdong, China

Abstract

This paper describes three new species of earthworm from Guangdong, China: Amynthas heshanensis sp. nov., Amynthas jiangmenensis sp. nov., and Drawida cheni sp. nov. The former two species both have two pairs of spermathecal pores in 6/7–7/8, and simple paired caecae in XXV. Four similar Amynthas species are reviewed. Drawida cheni sp. nov. has similar characters in external appearance (large body size, no dorsal pore, and no clitellum) with Drawida sulcata Zhong, 1986 from Yunnan, China. The species is distinguished from other Drawida species by the five gizzards, which are otherwise only found in D. syringa Chen, 1933, the smooth body without setae, the superficial male pores, and the female pores in 12/13.

Keywords:

• Amynthas
• China
• Drawida
• earthworms
• Guangdong
• new species
• Oligochaeta

Acknowledgements

We are grateful to Professor Chonghui Liao, who assisted in field selection and sample collections, and Mr Haijun Wang who helped to identify the specimens. The study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China grant no. 39970140 and the plan item of the Department of Science and Technology of Guangdong Province.