Polypheretima jenniferae Aspe &amp; Manasan &amp; Manlavi &amp; Patiluna &amp; Sebido &amp; Obusan &amp; Simbahan &amp; James 2021, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Aspe, Nonillon M.
name: Manasan, Rafael Ethan
name: Manlavi, Albert B.
name: Patiluna, Ma. Lotus E.
name: Sebido, Maria Asela B.
name: Obusan, Marie Christine M.
name: Simbahan, Jessica F.
name: James, Samuel W.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2021
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Annelida
Clitellata
Crassiclitellata
Megascolecidae
Polypheretima
Polypheretima jenniferae

description: <i>Polypheretima jenniferae</i> sp. nov. (Figure 12) <i>Material examined</i> Holotype: adult (WPU-A018), near the Elephant Cave in Brgy. Cabayugan, Puerto Princesa City, (10.133°N, 118.866°E), 27 m asl, Palawan Province, Philippines, coll. E. Manasan, A. Manlavi, 15 March 2019. Paratypes: three adults (WPU-A 019), same collection data as for holotype. <i>Etymology</i> The species name was given in honour of the first author’s spouse, Jennifer, who has always assisted and supported him in his research works. <i>Diagnosis</i> Brown worm with adult length 161–198 mm, diameter 3.5–5.5 mm; 161–198 segments; no spermathecal pores; 43–64 setae on vii, 53–74 setae on xx; 7–14 setae between male pores; male openings 0.27 circumference apart ventrally; paired genital markings widely spaced on xix–xxiii, in line with male pores; spermathecae lacking; large prostates in xvi–xxi. <i>Description</i> Light brown dorsum, pale ventrum, segment equators unpigmented. Length 161–198 mm (n = 4 adults); diameter 3.5–5.5 mm at x, 3.2–4.5 mm at xx; body circular in cross section, tail tapering; 160–218 segments. First dorsal pore at 12/13, spermathecal pores lacking. Female pore single in xiv, openings of male pores paired in xviii, distance between pores 3.5–3.9 mm (0.27 circumference apart ventrally), 7–14 setae between pores. Clitellum annular, from xiv to xvi. Setae unevenly distributed around equators in some segments; 43–64 setae on vii, 53–74 setae on xx, dorsal setal gaps present, ventral setal gaps present. Paired genital markings widely spaced on xix–xxiii, in line with male pores. Septa 4/5–7/8 membranous, 8/9 and 10/11–13/14 thin, 9/10 lacking. Dense tufts of nephridia on anterior faces of 4/5, 5/6 and 6/7; nephridia of intestinal segments located mainly on body near septum/body wall junction. Large gizzard in ix–x, oesophagus with low vertical lamellae x–xiii, intestinal origin in xv, caeca lacking. Hearts in x–xiii, oesophageal; commissural vessels in vi, vii and ix lateral. Ovaries and funnels free in xiii. Spermatheca lacking. Male sexual system holandric, testes and funnels enclosed in paired ventral sacs in x and xi; seminal vesicles in xi and xii; pseudovesicles in xiii; vasa deferentia slender, free from body wall on way to ental end of prostatic ducts; large prostates in xvi–xxi, each prostate racemose, compact; long, muscular duct from lateral margin of prostate makes a coil and widens towards body wall, then narrows slightly just before body wall; copulatory bursae shallow. <i>Remarks</i> <i>Polypheretima jenniferae</i> sp. nov. belongs to the <i>Po. elongata</i> species group of Easton (1979). Among the members of <i>Po. elongata</i> group, <i>Po. jenniferae</i> sp. nov. is relatively similar to <i>Po. victoriaensis</i> sp. nov. and <i>Po. irawanensis</i> sp. nov. in pigmentation,in length and in the number of segments (Table 2). However, the new species is thinner (3.2–5 mm vs 6–8.5 mm in <i>Po. victoriaensis</i> sp. nov. and <i>Po. irawanensis</i> sp. nov.), has fewer setae on vii and xx (43–64, 53–74 vs 91–98, 77– 82 in <i>Po. victoriaensis</i> sp. nov. and <i>Po. irawanensis</i> sp. nov.), has genital markings from xix to xxiii (vs from xix to xxiii in <i>Po. victoriaensis</i> sp. nov. and <i>Po. irawanensis</i> sp. nov.), and has prostates in xvi–xxi (vs xv–xix in <i>Po. victoriaensis</i> sp. nov. and xvii–xviii in <i>Po. irawanensis</i> sp. nov.). Also, the new species has more space between male pores (0.27 circumference apart ventrally) compared with <i>Po. irawanensis</i> sp. nov. (0.22 circumference apart ventrally). In addition, the new species has no spermathecae, in contrast to the two latter species. <i>Polypheretima jenniferae</i> sp. nov. is found to have high survival and reproduction rates, making it an ideal candidate for use in vermicomposting. The absence of spermathecae in <i>Po. jenniferae</i> sp. nov. suggests parthenogenetic reproduction in the species (Gates 1972). Earthworm species that reproduce parthenogenetically have the advantage of growing faster in number as they do not necessarily require a mate for them to reproduce. This is true for the pantropical <i>Pontoscolex corethrurus</i> and the species popularly used for vermicomposting in the Philippines, <i>Eudrilus eugenieae</i>. Other individuals of <i>Po. mindanaoensis</i> and <i>Po. sahlani</i>, which are also members of the <i>Po. elongata</i> group, have also been recorded as having no spermathecae. <i>Polypheretima jenniferae</i> sp. nov. is currently being tested for its ability to compete with <i>E. eugenieae</i> in in growth, survival and reproduction at the Western Philippines University in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan. The microbiota and the enzymatic activities in its gut are also currently being tested, in the University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City, for their potential to degrade the plastic in disposable diapers.
description: Published as part of <i>Aspe, Nonillon M., Manasan, Rafael Ethan, Manlavi, Albert B., Patiluna, Ma. Lotus E., Sebido, Maria Asela B., Obusan, Marie Christine M., Simbahan, Jessica F. &amp; James, Samuel W., 2021, The earthworm fauna of Palawan, Philippines with description of nineteen new pheretimoid species (Clitellata: Megascolecidae), pp. 733-797 in Journal of Natural History 55 (11 - 12)</i> on pages 766-767, DOI: 10.1080/00222933.2021.1923849, http://zenodo.org/record/5463798
description: {"references": ["Easton EG. 1979. A revision of the ' acaecate' earthworms of the Pheretima group (Megascolecidae: Oligochaeta): archipheretima, Metapheretima, Planapheretima, Pleionogaster and Polypheretima. Bull Br Mus Nat Hist. 35: 1 - 126.", "Gates GE. 1972. Burmese earthworms: an introduction to the systematics and biology of Megadrile Oligochaetes with special reference to Southeast Asia. Trans Am Philos Soc. 62 (7): 1 - 327. doi: 10.2307 / 1006214."]}