Moniligaster Perrier 1872
Creators: name: Narayanan, S. Prasanth
name: Sathrumithra, S.
name: Anuja, R.
name: Christopher, G.
name: Thomas, A. P.
name: Julka, J. M.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2021
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Annelida
Clitellata
Moniligastrida
Moniligastridae
Moniligaster

description: Key to currently accepted species of Moniligaster Perrier, 1872 (modified from Gates, 1940)
1 Vas deferens penetrates longitudinal muscle layer prior to junction with prostate................................... 2
- Vas deferens enters prostate directly, without penetrating longitudinal muscle layer................................. 4
2 Prostatic capsule anvil shaped........................................................... M. horsti Gates, 1940
- Prostatic capsule different.............................................................................. 3
3 Body length> 400 mm; prostatic capsule spheroidal......................................... M. aiyeri Gates, 1940
- Body length <200 mm; prostatic capsule disc-like and latero-mesially flattened.............. M. stephensoni Gates, 1940
4 Spermathecal atrial glands confined to segment 7............................................................ 5
- Spermathecal atrial glands in segments 7 and 8............................................................. 10
5 Leaflet-like glands present on vas deferens............................................ M. deshayesi Perrier, 1872
- Leaflet-like glands absent on vas deferens.................................................................. 6
6 Vas deferens joins prostate at or close to ental end........................................................... 7
- Vas deferens joins prostate at or close to ectal end........................................................... 9
7 Prostatic capsule with deep incisions on margins..................................... M. gravelyi Stephenson, 1915
- Prostatic capsule without marginal incisions................................................................ 8
8 Prostatic capsule tubular, ental end slightly sinuous and nodulated.................................. M. bahli sp. nov.
- Prostatic capsule club-shaped, ental end without nodulations................................. M. blakemorei sp. nov.
9 Prostates clavate, duct of each atrial gland short, about ¼ the length of common atrial duct........ M. troyi Jamieson, 1977
- Prostates tubular, duct of each atrial gland about as long as commonatrial duct.................... M. keralensis sp. nov.
10 Prostate and duct bound to body wall in a C-shaped figure, capsule ovoidal.................. M. michaelseni Gates, 1940
- Prostate and duct not bound to body wall, capsule shape otherwise............................................. 11
11 Prostatic capsule reniform, without nodulations...................................... M. perrieri Michaelsen, 1907
- Prostatic capsule short, tubular and U-shaped, with irregularly placed nodulations............. M. cernosvitovi Gates, 1962
description: Published as part of Narayanan, S. Prasanth, Sathrumithra, S., Anuja, R., Christopher, G., Thomas, A. P. & Julka, J. M., 2021, Three new species and four new species records of earthworms of the genus Moniligaster Perrier, 1872 (Clitellata: Moniligastridae) from Kerala region of the Western Ghats Biodiversity Hotspot, India, pp. 381-397 in Zootaxa 4949 (2) on page 395, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4949.2.11, http://zenodo.org/record/4636238