OCR Text |
Show 1002 ON A N E W EARTHWORM FROM INDIA. [Dec. 18. The diverticulum is longer than the spermatheca; it is plainly composed of a duct and of a distal moniliform sperm-receptacle. The two parts are about equi-sized. The accompanyiug drawing (fig. 2, p. 1001) shows how different are the spermatheca? of A. aiexandri from those of A. trinitatis, which latter are more like those of A. heterochcetus^. The salient points of difference between the three species may be thus tabulated :- Clitellum Seta; of anterior I segments on either L side of ventral line J Genital papilla? Spermathecae - Spermiducal glands2. A. heterochmius. A. trinitatis. xiv.-xvi. or xiv.-xvi- xiv.-xvi. markedly larger. present. not larger. ent. A. aiexandri. XlV.-XVl. not larger. absent. open laterally, with : open dorsally,with open laterally, short duct. short duct. with long duct often absent or large, always large, always rudimentary. present ? present ? It is obvious that these three forms come very near to each other A rough general description would very readily confuse their points of unlikeness, which appear to me, who have studied all these species, to be unmistakable. The following is a sufficient definition of the new species : - Amyntas aiexandri, n. sp. Length 145 mm. ; number of segments 133. Seta? of most anterior and most posterior segments rather larger. Clitellum xiv.-xvi., without seta?. Male pores separated by 13 seta?. No genital papilla?. Septum viii./ix. absent. Ca?ca rather large. Last heart in xiii. Sperm-sacs in xi., xii. Spermiducal glands inxvii.- xx., broader anteriorly, much lobate; duct longish, horseshoe-shaped, without terminal sac. Spermatheca? in vi.-ix., with long thick duct longer than pouch ; diverticulum longer than spermatheca?, with equi-sized duct and sperm-chamber. Spermatheca? open laterally. Hab. Calcutta3. 1 I have distinguished A. trinitatis and A. heterochcetus by the longer diverts cula of the former. I think that this somewhat variable characteristic will hardly do. There is no doubt, however, about the more dorsal position of the spermathecaj in A, trinitatis. 2 The very accurate drawings (figs. 2, 3) which accompany this paper should render the characteristics of these organs clear. 3 The genus being Malayan, the species may not be really indigenous here. |