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Two new species of Epirodrilus (Oligochaeta, Tubificidae) from Lake Nyasa and Tanganyika (East Africa), with redescriptions of E. slovenicus and E. michaelseni
Author(s) -
MARTIN PATRICK,
GIANI NARCISSE
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
zoologica scripta
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.204
H-Index - 64
eISSN - 1463-6409
pISSN - 0300-3256
DOI - 10.1111/j.1463-6409.1995.tb00471.x
Subject(s) - seta , taxonomy (biology) , biology , ecology , oligochaeta (plant) , zoology , rift , genus , paleontology , structural basin
Recent interest in the ancient African rift lakes has led t o the discovery of two new species of Epirodrilus. These species ( Epirodrilus mammosus sp. n. and Epirodrilus tanganyikue sp. n.) arc characterized a.o. by their small sizes, the absence of hair and pectinate setae and the presence of modified penial setae. They form a taxonomically logical and consistent group with Epirodrilus antipodum , known from another ancient lake (Take Titicaca). New material of Epirodrilus slovenieus and Epirodrilus michuelseni enables us to complete the description of these species and to update the knowledge on taxonomy and geographical distribution of the genus. The discovery of true spermatozeugmata in E. michaelseni might eventually necessitate ii partial redefinition of the Rhyacodrilinae.