Microchaetus tuberosus Plisko 1998
Creators: name: Plisko, Jadwiga Danuta
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2003
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Annelida
Clitellata
Crassiclitellata
Microchaetidae
Microchaetus
Microchaetus tuberosus

description: Microchaetus tuberosus Plisko, 1998   
 Microchaetus tuberosus Plisko, 1998: 290.   
 Material examined: KwaZulu­Natal: NMSA / Olig. 03497 Port Shepstone, Armidale farm (30º39'39"S: 30º30'19"E) at 102 m, recently burnt grassland, many herbs, patch at summit of dune, damp sandy soil, 4 November 2001, 5 cl, AJA, HM [associated with Microchaetus parvus]. NMSA / Olig. 03630 Oribi Gorge Nature Reserve (30º43'49"S: 30º16'22"E) summit at 451 m, grassland, 25 June 2002, 4 juv [in quiescent phase, without soil in the gut, posteriorly transparently reddish], AJA, D. J. Craigie, BK, L. Mnguni. NMSA / Olig. 03631 Oribi Gorge Nature Reserve (30º43'50"S: 30º16'24"E) east facing slope at 451 m, grassland/forest border, 25 June 2002, 1 cl + 1 juv, AJA, D. J. Craigie, BK, L. Mnguni [associated with Pontoscolex corethrurus (Müller, 1857)]. Mbumbazi Nature Reserve: NMSA / Olig. 03405 (30º47'42"S: 30º16'41"E) hillside, in forest on path, 27 March 2001, 1 with tubercula pubertatis, AJA, BK; NMSA / Olig. 03404 (30º47'45"S: 30º16'35"E) hillside, in forest near stream, 27 March 2001, 5 juv, AJA, BK; NMSA / Olig. 03399 (30º47'45"S: 30º16'43"E) hillside, in forest, 27 March 2001, 5 with tubercula pubertatis, AJA, BK; NMSA / Olig. 03396 (30º48'06"S: 30º16'30"E) hillside, under tall grass, along road, 26 March 2001, 5 juv, AJA, BK; NMSA / Olig. 03397 (30º48'06"S: 30º16'30"E) hillside, under tall grass, along road, 26 March 2001, 4 with tubercula pubertatis, AJA, BK; NMSA / Olig. 03519 (30º48'09"S: 30º16'47"E) at 372 m, sparse medium­high grass with shrubs and herbs, top layer soil, under casts, 5 November 2001, 3 not fully mature, AJA, HM; NMSA / Olig. 03518 (30º48'12"S: 30º16'47"E) hillside, recently burnt tall grass, between grass roots, damp soil, 5 November 2001, 11 juv, AJA, HM; NMSA / Olig. 03517 (30º48'12"S: 30º16'47"E) hillside, recently burnt tall grass, under grass roots, damp soil, 5 November 2001, 7 cl [much longer and with more segments than type material, and with various number and shape of spermathecae: 1–3 pairs per segment], AJA, HM. Umtamvuna Nature Reserve: NMSA / Olig. 03406 (30º59'54"S: 30º09'48"E) plateau, in vlei, medium­tall graminoids, 29 March 2001, 11 juv, AJA, BK; plateau, in vlei under medium graminoids (30º59'55"S: 30º09'48"E): NMSA / Olig. 03409, 1 cl, NMSA / Olig. 03410, 8 juv, NMSA / Olig. 03411, 2 cocoons, collected 29 March 2001 by AJA, BK, [associated with acanthodrilid of the genus Parachilota].   
 Remarks: A species described from the Oribi Gorge Nature Reserve and known from various places in its vicinity (Fig. 1). Present records extend the known range of the species to coastal lowlands in southern KZN. At some sites the species was associated with parvus, with an indigenous acanthodrilid of the genus Parachilota, or with the exotic glossoscolecid Pontoscolex corethrurus (Müller, 1857).
description: Published as part of Plisko, Jadwiga Danuta, 2003, Eleven new South African earthworms (Oligochaeta: Microchaetidae) with new information on some known species, and an inventory of the microchaetids of KwaZulu-Natal, pp. 279-325 in African Invertebrates 44 (2) on pages 291-292, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.7666260