Skip to main content Skip to main navigation menu Skip to site footer
Responsive image
Issue: Vol. 23: 10 Jul. 2023
Type: Article
Published: 2023-07-10
DOI: 10.11646/zoosymposia.23.1.9
Page range: 52–77
Abstract views: 237
PDF downloaded: 133

New species of Lumbriculidae (Clitellata) from groundwater-dependent habitats in Texas

85060 Spencer Hollow Rd., Eugene, OR, 97405, USA
Edwards Aquifer Research and Data Center, Texas State University, 601 University Drive, San Marcos, Texas, 78666, USA
San Marcos Aquatic Resources Center, United States Fish and Wildlife Service, 500 East McCarty Lane, San Marcos, Texas, 78666
Edwards Aquifer Research and Data Center, and Department of Biology, Texas State University, 601 University Drive, San Marcos, Texas, 78666, USA
Texas Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office, United States Fish and Wildlife Service, 500 East McCarty Lane, San Marcos, Texas, 78666
North America oligochaetes new species biogeography taxonomy stygofauna karst groundwater

Abstract

Recent hyporheic, crenal and phreatic groundwater collections suggest a rich oligochaete fauna associated with the Edwards and Edwards-Trinity Aquifers in central Texas, including many species in the family Lumbriculidae. Based on limited invertebrate collections from earlier sampling programs, four sites were selected for more intensive oligochaete sampling. The lumbriculid Eclipidrilus palustris (Smith, 1900) is widespread in cleaner, cooler waters of the southeastern USA, and was common in crenal habitats. However, several lumbriculid species appear to be new and endemic, four of which are described here. Two of these can be assigned to the genus Eremidrilus Fend & Rodriguez, 2003 based on semiprosoporous male ducts with male pores in X, spermathecae in XI, and a filiform proboscis. Eremidrilus samacos n. sp. has typical morphology for the genus; E. parvitheca n. sp. (provisionally assigned to the genus) has duct-like spermathecae that join the gut, and unusual dorsal glands in posterior segments. Two morphotypes are assigned to E. parvitheca, based on spermathecal location in XI (typical) or XII (variant). A third species (Trichodrilus comalensis n. sp.) lacks a proboscis and has unusually elongated ventral chaetae. A problematic fourth species (Pararhynchelmis texana n. sp.) has semiprosoporous atria in X and duct-like spermathecae joining the gut in VIII. As it lacks apomorphies previously proposed for Rhynchelmis Hoffmeister, 1843 and Pseudorhynchelmis Hrabě, 1982, it is provisionally assigned to Pararhynchelmis Fend & Lenat, 2010.

References

  1. Achurra, A., Rodriguez, P. & Erséus, C. (2015) Pseudo-cryptic speciation in the subterranean medium: A new species of Stylodrilus Claparède, 1862, with a revision of the status of Bichaeta Bretscher, 1900 (Annelida, Clitellata, Lumbriculidae). Zoologischer Anzeiger, 257, 71–86. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcz.2015.05.003

  2. Artheau, M. & Giani, N. (2006) A checklist of the groundfreshwater Oligochaeta and Polychaeta in France. Bulletin de L’Institut Royal des Sciences Naturelles de Belgique, Biologie, 76, 229–255.

  3. Barker, R.A., Bush, P.W. & Baker, E.T., Jr. (1994) Geologic History and Hydrogeologic Setting of the Edwards-Trinity Aquifer System, West-Central Texas. US Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 94-40391994, 1–51. https://doi.org/10.3133/wri944039

  4. Bou, C. & Rouch, R. (1967) Un nouveau champ de recherches sur la faune aquatique souterraine. Compte Rendus de l’Académie des Sciences de Paris, 265, 369–370.

  5. Bowles, D.E. & Arsuffi, T.L. (1993) Karst aquatic ecosystems of the Edwards Plateau region of central Texas, USA: a consideration of their importance, threats to their existence, and efforts for their conservation. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems, 3, 317–329. https://doi.org/10.1002/aqc.3270030406

  6. Carlson, K.R. (1997) The Distribution of troglobitic and troglophilic invertebrates in southeast Alaska. In: Stitt, R.R. (Ed.), Proceedings of the 1997 Karst and Cave Management Symposium, 13th National Cave Management Symposium, pp. 28–33.

  7. Cernosvitov, L. (1939) Catalogue des Oligochètes hypogés. Bulletin du Musée royal d’Histoire naturelle de Belgique, XV (22), 1–92.

  8. Coates, K.A. (1983) New records of marine Marionina (Oligochaeta, Enchytraeidae) from the Pacific Northeast, with a description of Marionina klaskisharum sp. nov. Canadian Journal of Zoology, 61, 822–831. https://doi.org/10.1139/z83-108

  9. Cook, D.G. (1971) Trichodrilus allegheniensis n. sp. (Oligochaeta, Lumbriculidae) from a cave in southern Tennessee. Transactions of the American Microscopical Society, 90, 381–383. https://doi.org/10.2307/3225201

  10. Cook, D.G. (1975) Cave-dwelling aquatic Oligochaeta (Annelida) from the eastern United States. Transactions of the American Microscopical Society, 94 (1), 24–37. https://doi.org/10.2307/3225529

  11. Creuzé des Châtelliers, M., Juget, J., LaFont, M. & Martin, P. (2009) Subterranean aquatic Oligochaeta. Freshwater Biology, 54, 678–690. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2427.2009.02173.x

  12. Dumnicka, E. (2014) Stygobitic oligochaetes (Annelida, Clitellata) in Poland with remarks on their distribution in central Europe. Subterranean Biology, 14, 15–24. https://doi.org/10.3897/subtbiol.14.7700

  13. Eckroth, M.C. & Brinkhurst, R.O. (1996) Tenagodrilus musculus, a new genus and species of Lumbriculidae (Clitellata) from a temporary pond in Alabama, USA. Hydrobiologia, 334, 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00017348

  14. Erséus, C. (1999) Parvidrilus strayeri, a new genus and species, an enigmatic interstitial clitellate. Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington, 112 (2), 327–337.

  15. Fend, S.V. (2005) A review of the genus Eclipidrilus (Annelida: Clitellata: Lumbriculidae), with description of a new species from western North America, Zootaxa, 969, 1–42. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.969.1.1

  16. Fend, S.V. & Brinkhurst, R.O. (2000) New species of Rhynchelmis (Clitellata, Lumbriculidae), with observations on the Nearctic species. Hydrobiologia, 428, 1–59. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1003919312142

  17. Fend, S.V. & Brinkhurst, R.O. (2010) Contributions towards a review of the genus Rhynchelmis Hoffmeister (Clitellata: Lumbriculidae). Zootaxa, 2407, 1–27. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.2407.1.1

  18. Fend, S.V. & Carter, J.L. (2014) Rhynchelmis subgenus Sutroa Eisen new rank, with two new species from western North America (Annelida, Clitellata, Lumbriculidae). Zootaxa, 3760 (2), 180–210. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3760.2.3

  19. Fend, S.V. & Lenat, D.R. (2010) New southeastern Nearctic Rhynchelmis (Rhynchelmoides) species and the description of Pararhynchelmis n. gen. (Annelida: Clitellata: Lumbriculidae). Zootaxa, 2554, 1–22. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.2554.1.1

  20. Fend, S.V. & Rodriguez, P. (2003) Eremidrilus n. gen. (Annelida, Clitellata, Lumbriculidae) and new species from California, U.S.A. Canadian Journal of Zoology, 81, 515–542. https://doi.org/10.1139/z02-235

  21. Fend, S.V., Rodriguez, P. & Lenat, D.R. (2003) Uktena riparia n. gen., n. sp. (Annelida, Clitellata, Lumbriculidae), a new spermatophore-producing oligochaete. Zootaxa, 3994 (3), 411–424. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3994.3.5

  22. Fend, S.V. & Rodriguez, P. (2020) New Eremidrilus species (Clitellata: Lumbriculidae) from western North America. Part 1, species with two spermathecal segments. Zootaxa, 4809, 111–131. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4809.1.6

  23. Gates, G.E. (1967) On the earthworm fauna of the Great American Desert and adjacent areas. Great Basin Naturalist, 27 (3), 142–176

  24. Giani, N. & Rodriguez, P. (1994) New species of the genus Trichodrilus (Oligochaeta, Lumbriculidae). Zoologica Scripta, 23(1), 33–41. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1463-6409.1994.tb00371.x

  25. Giani, N., Sambugar, B., Rodriguez, P. & Martínez-Ansemil, E. (2001) Oligochaetes in southern European groundwater: new records and an overview. Hydrobiologia, 463, 65–74. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1013183003707

  26. Giani, N., Sambugar, B., Martínez-Ansemil, E., Martin, P. & Schmelz, R.M. (2011) The groundwater oligochaetes (Annelida, Clitellata) of Slovenia. Subterranean Biology, 9, 85–102. https://doi.org/10.3897/subtbiol.9.2512

  27. Gibson, J.R., Harden, S.J., Fries, J.N. (2008) Survey and distribution of invertebrates from selected springs of the Edwards Aquifer in Comal and Hays Counties, Texas. The Southwestern Naturalist, 53 (1), 74–84. https://doi.org/10.1894/0038-4909(2008)53[74:SADOIF]2.0.CO;2

  28. Gibson, R., Hutchins, B.T. Krejca, J.K., Diaz, P.H. & Sprouse, P.S. (2020) Stygobromus bakeri, a new species of groundwater amphipod (Amphipoda, Crangonyctidae) associated with the Trinity and Edwards aquifers of central Texas, USA. Subterranean Biology, 38, 19–45. https://doi.org/10.3897/subtbiol.38.61787

  29. Glasby, C.J., Erséus, C. & Martin, P. (2021) Annelids in extreme aquatic environments: diversity, adaptations and evolution. Diversity, 13, 98, 23 pp. https://doi.org/10.3390/d13020098

  30. Holmquist, C. (1976) Lumbriculids (Oligochaeta) of northern Alaska and northwestern Canada. Zoologische Jahrbücher, Abteilung für Systematik, Ökologie und Geographie der Tiere, 103, 377–431.

  31. Hrabě, S. (1931) Die Oligochaeten aus Seen Ochrida und Prespa. Zoologische Jahrbücher. Abteilung für Systematik, Ökologie und Geographie der Tiere, 61, 1–63

  32. Hrabĕ, S. (1984) Two atavistic characters of some Lumbriculidae and their importance for the classification of Oligochaeta. Hydrobiologia, 115, 15–17. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00027887

  33. Hutchins, B.T. (2018) The conservation status of Texas groundwater invertebrates. Biodiversity and Conservation, 27, 475–501. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-017-1447-0

  34. Hutchins, B.T., Gibson, J.R., Diaz, P.H. & Schwartz, B.F. (2021) Stygobiont diversity in the San Marcos Artesian Well and Edwards Aquifer groundwater ecosystem, Texas, USA. Diversity, 13 (6), 234. https://doi.org/10.3390/d13060234

  35. Hutchins, B.T., Engel, A.S., Nowlin, W.H. & Schwartz, B.F. (2016) Chemolithoautotrophy supports macroinvertebrate food webs and affects diversity and stability in groundwater communities. Ecology, 97 (6), 1530–1542. https://doi.org/10.1890/15-1129.1

  36. Kathman, R.D. & Brinkhurst, R.O. (1984) Some benthic invertebrates from Tennessee and Kentucky caves. Journal of the Tennessee Academy of Science, 59 (1–2), 19–21.

  37. Kathman, R.D. & Brinkhurst, R.O. (1999) Guide to the Freshwater Oligochaetes of North America. Aquatic Resources Center, College Grove, Tennessee. iv + 264 pp.

  38. Maclay, R.W. (1995) Geology and hydrology of the Edwards Aquifer in the San Antonio area, Texas. US Geological Survey Water Resources Investigations Report 95-4186, 1–64. https://doi.org/10.3133/wri954186

  39. Martin, P. & Kaygorodova, I. (2008) A new species of Pseudorhynchelmis Hrabě, 1982 (Clitellata: Lumbriculidae) from Lake Baikal, with re-descriptions of P. parva and P. olchonensis. Zootaxa, 1938, 23–39. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.1938.1.2

  40. Martin, P., Schmelz, R.M. & Dole-Olivier, M-J. (2015) Groundwater oligochaetes (Annelida, Clitellata) from the Mercantour National Park (France), with the descriptions of one new genus and two new stygobiont species. Zoosystema, 37 (4), 551–569. https://doi.org/10.5252/z2015n4a2

  41. Martinez-Ansemil, E., Sambugar, B. & Giani, N. (1997) Groundwater Oligochaetes from Southern-Europe. I. A new genus and three new species of Rhyacodrilinae (Tubificidae) with a redescription of Tubifex pescei (Dumnicka) comb. n. Annales de Limnologie, 33 (1), 33–44. https://doi.org/10.1051/limn/1997003

  42. Martinez-Ansemil, E., Creuzé des Châtelliers, M., Martin, P. & Sambugar, B. (2012) The Parvidrilidae – a diversified groundwater family: description of six new species from southern Europe, and clues for its phylogenetic position within Clitellata (Annelida). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 166, 530–558. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1096-3642.2012.00857.x

  43. Michaelsen, W. (1901) Oligochaeten der Zoologischen Museen zu St. Petersburg und Kiew. Bulletin de l’Académie Impériale des Sciences de St.-Pétersbourg, 15 (2), 137–215.

  44. Milbrink, G. (1983) An improved environmental index based on the relative abundance of oligochaete species. Hydrobiologia, 102, 89–97. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00006072

  45. Ohtaka, A. (2014) Profundal oligochaete faunas (Annelida, Clitellata) in Japanese lakes. Zoosymposia, 9, 24–35. https://doi.org/10.11646/zoosymposia.9.1.7

  46. Rodriguez, P. (1996) Stylodrilus californianus n. sp., a new lumbriculid (Annelida: Oligochaeta) from North America. Hydrobiologia, 333, 161–164. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00013430

  47. Rodriguez, P. & Achurra, A. (2010) New species of aquatic oligochaetes (Annelida: Clitellata) from groundwaters in karstic areas of northern Spain, with taxonomic remarks on Lophochaeta ignota Štolc, 1886. Zootaxa, 2332, 21–39. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.2332.1.2

  48. Rodriguez, P. & Coates, K. (1996) A new American Stylodrilus species (Lumbriculidae, Oligochaeta). Canadian Journal of Zoology, 74, 92–96. https://doi.org/10.1139/z96-012

  49. Rodriguez, P. & Fend, S. (2022) New Nearctic Eremidrilus species (Clitellata: Lumbriculidae). Part 2, western species with one spermathecal segment. Zootaxa, 5159 (2), 245–264. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5159.2.4

  50. Rodriguez, P. & Giani, N. (1994) A preliminary review of the taxonomic characters used for the systematics of the genus Trichodrilus Claparède (Oligochaeta, Lumbriculidae. Hydrobiologia, 278, 35–51. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00142310

  51. Rodriguez, P. & Reynoldson, T.B. (2011) The Pollution Biology of Aquatic Oligochaetes, Springer, 261 pp. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-1718-3

  52. Sambugar, B., Giani, N. & Martinez-Ansemil, E. (1999) Groundwater oligochaetes from southern-Europe. Tubificidae with marine affinities: new data with description of a new species, review and consideration on their origin. Mémoires de Biospéologie, 26, 107–116.

  53. Sambugar, B., Martinez-Ansemil, E. & Giani, N. (2005) Oligochaetes from springs in southern Europe. Bollettino del Museo Civico di Storia Naturalc di Verona, 29, 2005 Botanica Zoologia, 93–106.

  54. Sambugar, B., Ferrarese, U., Martinez-Ansemil, E., Stoch, F., Tomasin, G. & Zullini, A. (2008) The groundwater fauna of Piani Eterni karstic area (Dolomiti Bellunesi National Park, Southern Limestone Alps, Italy) and its zoogeographic significance. Subterranean Biology, 6, 65–74.

  55. Semernoy, V.P. (2004) Oligochaeta of Lake Baikal. Guides and Keys to Identification of Fauna and Flora of Lake Baikal. Russian Academy of Sciences. Nauka, Novosibirsk, 528 pp.

  56. Schindel, G.M. & Gary, M. (2017) Hypogene Processes in the Balcones Fault Zone Segment of the Edwards Aquifer of South-Central Texas. In: Klimchouk, A., Palmer, A.N., DeWaele, J., Auler, A.S. & Audra, P. (Eds.), Hypogene Karst Regions and Caves of the World. Cave and Karst Systems of the World. Springer International Publishing AG: Gewerbestrasse, Switzerland, pp. 511–530. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-53348-3_41

  57. Sharp, J.M. & Banner, J.L. (1997) The Edwards Aquifer: A Resource in Conflict. GSA Today, 7, 1–9.

  58. Stimpson, K.S., Brice, J.R., Barbour, M.T. & Howe, P. (1975) Distribution and abundance of inshore oligochaetes in Lake Michigan. Transactions of the American Microscopical Society, 94 (3), 384–394. https://doi.org/10.2307/3225503

  59. Stoch, F., Gerecke, R., Pieri, V., Rossetti, G. & Sambugar, B. (2011) Exploring species distribution of spring meiofauna (Annelida, Acari, Crustacea) in the south-eastern Alps. Journal of Limnology, 70 (Suppl. 1), 65–76. https://doi.org/10.4081/jlimnol.2011.s1.65

  60. Strayer, D. & Bannon-O’Donnell, E. (1988) Aquatic microannelids (Oligochaeta and Aphanoneura) of underground waters of southeastern New York. American Midland Naturalist, 119 (2), 327–335. https://doi.org/10.2307/2425815

  61. Strayer, D. (2001) Ecology and distribution of hyporheic microannelids (Oligochaeta, Aphanoneura, and Polychaeta) from the eastern United States. Archiv für Hydrobiologie, 151 (3), 493–510. https://doi.org/10.1127/archiv-hydrobiol/151/2001/493

  62. Timm, T. (1999) Distribution of freshwater oligochaetes in the west and east coastal regions of the North Pacific Ocean. Hydrobiologia, 406, 67–81. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1003749519662

  63. Timm, T. (2012) Profundal oligochaete assemblages in Palaearctic lakes. Turkish Journal of Zoology, 36 (1), 121–131. https://doi.org/10.3906/zoo-1002-51

  64. Wassell, J.T. (1984) Revision of the lumbriculid oligochaete Eclipidrilus Eisen, 1881, with descriptions of three subgenera and Eclipidrilus (Leptodrilus) fontanus n. subg., n. sp. from Pennsylvania. Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington, 97, 78–85.

  65. Wetzel, M.J. & Taylor, S.J. (2001) First records of freshwater oligochaetes (Annelida, Clitellata) from caves in Illinois and Missouri, USA. Journal of Cave and Karst Studies, 63 (3), 99–104.

  66. Worsham, M.L.D., Gibson, R. & Huffman, D.G. (2016) The aquatic annelid fauna of the San Marcos River headsprings, Hays County, Texas. ZooKeys, 618, 1–14. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.618.8560