2 NEW SPECIES OF BEDDARDIELLA (EUDRILIDAE, OLIGOCHAETA, ANNELIDA) FROM NIGERIA

Two new earthworms species, Beddardiella soforei n.sp. and Beddardiell a numanensis n.sp., are described from Michika and Numan in north east ern Nigeria. They, like their earlier described congeners, are charact erized by non-continuity of the lumen of the thecovarian duct with tha t of the spermatheca, the locations of two oesophageal gizzards in eit her V-VI or VI-VII (as against a single gizzard in V in other Eudrilin ae), the location of ventral oesophageal sacs in X-XII as against IX-X I, and the location of calciferous glands in XV as against XIII. These probably represent sufficient reasons to erect a new subfamily to acc ommodate the genus Beddardiella. But, as a continuing analysis reveals more variations among the Eudrilinae it is recommended that this awai ts a more comprehensive reclassification of the family.