Sparganophilus jenkinsi Carrera-Martinez 2025, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Carrera-Martínez, Roberto
name: Taylor, Melanie K.
name: Jones, Daniel
name: Schoville, Sean D.
name: Snyder, Bruce A.
name: Callaham, Mac A.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2025
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Annelida
Clitellata
Crassiclitellata
Sparganophilidae
Sparganophilus
Sparganophilus jenkinsi

description: Sparganophilus jenkinsi Carrera-Martínez sp. nov.
urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: F2A76D7D-20D0-4E5A-B7D5-16A7E16AEAE1
Figures 4D–F
Holotype: GTIC-11478; One adult. In sediments along the banks of an unnamed 2 nd order tributary to the Tyger River, Calhoun Experimental Forest, Union, Union Co., South Carolina, USA. Col. R. Carrera-Martínez, M.K. Taylor, M.A. Callaham, Jr. & G. Chapman. 27.APR.2017. (34.62249°N, 081.68809°W).
Paratypes: GTIC-11479 to 11481, 11484, and 11485; Six adults, same information as the Holotype. GTIC-11483; same location as holotype, Col. R. Carrera-Martínez, M.K. Taylor, M & G. Chapman. 20.JUL.2017.
Etymology: This species is named after Dr. David Jenkins, who supported the first author at the beginning of his career.
Diagnosis: Length 62–90 mm. Dorsal pores absent. Clitellum annular in xv–xxvii. Tubercula pubertatis continuous in (1/n)xvii, xviii–xxii, band-shaped, ventral limit at setae line a. Setae closely paired: ab = cd, aa <bc <dd. Spermathecal pores between cd, in 6/7–8/9, inconspicuous. Pores of prostate-like glands in xxiii–xxvi. Secondary annulation absent. Genital pad in xxvii, band-shaped, extending between aa. Intestinal origin in ix. One pair of spermathecae in vii–ix, spermathecal structure well differentiated into ampulla and duct, smooth, duct conical, as long as the globular, elongated ampulla. Prostate-like glands in xxiii–xxvi, and auxiliary prostate-like glands absent. First nephridia in xiii, tubular bladder, wide u-shaped vesicle.
Description: Length of unamputated preserved specimens 62–90 mm (mean = 75.0 mm, holotype> 50 mm, posterior amputee). Diameter in x 2.0–3.0 mm (mean = 2.8 mm, holotype = 2.5 mm), in clitellum, 2.4–3.7 mm (mean = 3.3 mm, holotype = 3.5 mm). Number of segments, 208–270 (mean = 228.7, holotype> 138). Body ovoid in cross-section anteriorly, ventrally flattened at the clitellum, quadrangular in cross-section posterior to clitellum. Preserved specimens with whitish-pale coloration,clitellum darker.Cuticle with strong green-blue-purple iridescence. Prostomium zygolobic. Dorsal pores absent. Spermathecal pores in 6/7–8/9 between cd, inconspicuous. Female pores minute in xiv, anterior to ab, closer to a, minute but visible. Male pores lateral to b in xix, equatorial, within tubercula pubertatis. Clitellum in xv–xxvii annular, less developed between bb. Tubercula pubertatis continuous (1/n) xvii, xviii–xxii, band-shaped including setae line b, ventral limit at a. Prostate-like pores in xxiii–xxvi, next to b. Nephridiopores anterior to ab, closer to a, starting in xiii, minute but visible. First setae in ii, lumbricine, closely paired. In x aa:ab:bc:cd:dd = 5.00:1.00:6.80:1.00:8.93, in xxx = 5.36:1.00:7.14:1.0:9.14; cd not visible in clitellum, some of ab not visible in xviii–xxii. Secondary annulation absent. No genital tumescences or genital markings observed; genital pad in xxvii between aa. Dark spots visible just at or slightly dorsal to mid-lateral line, in a regular in i–xiv, and in some postclitellar segments. One dorsal pit in the equator of the peristomium.
Septa 6/7–8/9 slightly thickened, 6/7 thinnest. Pharynx ends in iv, joining a small esophagus. Intestine originates abruptly in ix. Intestinal caeca, typhlosole, calciferous glands, and gizzard absent. One pair of spermathecae in vii–ix, without diverticulum. Spermathecal structure well differentiated into ampulla and duct, all similar size. Duct as long as or slightly longer than the ampulla, slightly conical, wide. Ampulla globular, smooth, elongated, or ellipsoidal. Duct connects to the intersegmental furrows level with setal line bc. Spermathecae located between a weak muscular fiber originated anteriorly in the intersegmental section of the esophagus and connecting posteriorly to the intersegmental-septum joint. Ovaries in xiii, free, string-like. Oviduct connects in segment xiv, anterior to a. Testes free in x and xi, with epididymis. Seminal vesicles, free in xi and xii, large and restricted to their segment. Vas deferens within muscular body wall. Tubular, prostate-like glands in xxiii–xxvi, long, coiled. Auxiliary prostate-like glands absent. One pair of holonephridia per segment, starting at xiii. Holonephridia tubular, bladder composed of highly coiled tubules dorsally, ventrally with a narrow u-shaped vesicle, those of xiii–xxii slightly smaller than the rest. Holonephridia of xiv attached to 13/14 septa. A vessel is attached at the basal part of the vesicle. Paired moniliform hearts in vii–xi, size increasing posteriorly. Dorsal and ventral vessel complete, and simple. Paired lateral vessel present, joining dorsal vessel in xiii, filiform.
Remarks: Sparganophilus jenkinsi sp. nov. resembles S. tamesis in its clitellum and tubercula pubertatis extension, and on having prostate-like glands in xxiii–xxvi, but differs from S. tamesis and other species in its genus by the location of the tubercula pubertatis in relation to its setal rows and having a genital pad in xxvii extending between aa.
description: Published as part of Carrera-Martínez, Roberto, Taylor, Melanie K., Jones, Daniel, Schoville, Sean D., Snyder, Bruce A. & Callaham, Mac A., 2025, The unseen diversity of the semi-aquatic earthworms of the genus Sparganophilus (Oligochaeta: Sparganophilidae) from the Southeastern Appalachian Piedmont, pp. 382-409 in Zootaxa 5589 (1) on pages 390-391, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5589.1.29, http://zenodo.org/record/14897284