Review of the Phreodrilidae (Annelida: Oligochaeta: Tubificida) of Australia

Abstract

In this review of Australian phreodrilid oligochaetes, several descriptions are amended, some species are reclassified and additional distribution data are provided for most species. One new genus (Nesodrilus) and 11 new species (Phreodrilus diemenensis, Phreodrilus melaleucensis, Phreodrilus mitodes, Antarctodrilus acanthaseta, Antarctodrilus micros, Antarctodrilus horwitzi, Nesodrilus southwellensis, Insulodrilus parviseta, Insulodrilus unisetoides, Insulodrilus bifidus and Astacopsidrilus myothyros) are described from Australia. Insulodrilus lacustris (Benham, 1903) is recorded in Australia for the first time, while Phreodrilus mauienensis Brinkhurst, 1971, and Astacopsidrilus campbellianus (Benham, 1909), comb. nov., are removed from the Australian species list. The latter is the first phreodrilid to be recorded on Macquarie Island. One new species, Insulodrilus novaezelandiae, is described from New Zealand and three new species, Antarctodrilus spinosus, Nesodrilus isochaeta and Astacopsidrilus beckettae, are described from Campbell Island. Aspects of phreodrilid zoogeography and anatomy are discussed.

Phreodrilidae (Clitellata: Annelida) in north-western Australia with descriptions of two new species

“…The family Phreodrilidae is common in streams and lentic wetlands of temperate southern Australia and particularly diverse in Tasmania and south-western Australia (Pinder and Brinkhurst 1997). The concentration of species in the most temperate parts of Australia fits with the idea that the family is Gondwanan in origin (Martin et al 2008, Pinder andBrinkhurst 1997). However, while the family is far less widespread in more xeric parts of Australia, new species are increasingly being collected from ground water and groundwater associated wetlands outside of the temperate zones.…”

New Phreodrilidae (Annelida: Clitellata) from Tasmanian estuaries

“…As mentioned above, tall, muscular spermathecal vestibulae with openings associated with the female pores are considered diagnostic of the genus Astacopsidrilus (Pinder & Brinkhurst 1997).lnsulodrilus tanganyikae (Brinkhurst 1970) also has tall, muscular spermathecal vestibulae, but its female pores are well anterior to these (Brinkhurst 1970: fig. lA, confirmed by P. Martin, pers.…”

“…1). Some other lnsulodrilus, such as I. nudus (Brinkhurst & Fulton 1979), have female ducts that are clearly plesioporous and lead to pores located between 12113 and the openings of the spermathecal vestibulae (Pinder & Brinkhurst 1997: fig. 86), but all of these have vestibulae that are shorter and less muscular.…”

“…Penes tall, in muscular sacs that are almost as tall as the segment. Female funnels leading to pores on anterior face of the spermathecal vestibulae, near their wide openings In the key to Australian phreodrilids of Pinder & Brinkhurst (1997), A. ostiensis would key to couplet 17, where it would be separated from either of the options because of the rudimentary upper teeth on anterior ventral chaetae, and the discrete cells projecting into the atrial lumen, rather than atria with a dense layer of atrial lining cells.…”

“…Jamieson 1977, Erseus 1981, 1990a,b, 1993, 1997a,b, Erseus & Jamieson 1981, Coates 1990, Healy & Coates 1997, exceeding the number of species of these families from inland waters. By contrast, of the 45 described species of Phreodrilidae and others awaiting description in the first author's collection, almost all appear to be restricted to inland freshwater habitats such as streams and lakes (Martin & Brinkhurst 1994, Giani et al 1995, Martin & Giani 1995, Pinder & Brinkhurst 1997.Of the phreodrilids, the only record of Insulodrilus litoralis (Michaelsen 1924) is of the type specimens which were collected at Perserverence Harbour, Subantarctic Campbell Island, from under a rock on the beach at ebb-tide. While this may be a marine littoral species there is no information about salinity at the type locality.…”