Earthworm fauna of Eastern Taiwan, with descriptions of two new species (Oligochaeta: Megascolecidae)
Journal
ZOOTAXA (2010) 2341, 52–68
Authors
YU-HSI WANG & HSI-TE SHIH
Abstract
The earthworm fauna of eastern Taiwan was studied, and two new species, viz. Amynthas shinjiroi sp. nov. and Pithemera tao sp. nov. are described. Other species from our collection included Dichogaster (Diplothecodrilus) saliens (Beddard, 1893), Amynthas aspergillum (Perrier, 1872), A. gracilis (Kinberg, 1867), A. aff. hupeiensis (Michaelsen, 1891), A. robustus (Perrier, 1872), A. aff. morrisi (Beddard, 1892), Pithemera bicincta (Perrier, 1875), P. lanyuensis Shen & Tsai, 2002, and Pontoscolex corethrurus (Müller, 1856). Pithemera lanyuensis was first collected on Lanyu (Orchid Island), but its distribution is now extended to the main island of Taiwan. The finding of the exotic Pontoscolex corethrurus in eastern Taiwan shows it has probably invaded the entire island of Taiwan, and its impacts upon the ecology and agriculture need to be studied in the future.
The earthworm fauna of eastern Taiwan was studied, and two new species, viz. Amynthas shinjiroi sp. nov. and Pithemera tao sp. nov. are described. Other species from our collection included Dichogaster (Diplothecodrilus) saliens (Beddard, 1893), Amynthas aspergillum (Perrier, 1872), A. gracilis (Kinberg, 1867), A. aff. hupeiensis (Michaelsen, 1891), A. robustus (Perrier, 1872), A. aff. morrisi (Beddard, 1892), Pithemera bicincta (Perrier, 1875), P. lanyuensis Shen & Tsai, 2002, and Pontoscolex corethrurus (Müller, 1856). Pithemera lanyuensis was first collected on Lanyu (Orchid Island), but its distribution is now extended to the main island of Taiwan. The finding of the exotic Pontoscolex corethrurus in eastern Taiwan shows it has probably invaded the entire island of Taiwan, and its impacts upon the ecology and agriculture need to be studied in the future.
