DESCRIPTIONS OF 2 NEW IRIDODRILUS SPECIES AND A REEXAMINATION OF THE EARTHWORM GENERA HELIODRILUS BEDDARD, IRIDODRILUS BEDDARD AND SEGUNIA SIMS (ANNELIDA, OLIGOCHAETA, EUDRILIDAE)

This paper describes two new earthworm species, Iridodrilus codonothec oformis sp. n. and Iridodrilus condylopapillaris sp. n. and illustrate s the major diagnostic features of, and the differences between, Irido drilus roseus Beddard, 1897 and Heliodrilus lagosensis Beddard, 1890. Hitherto unnoticed features of 1. roseus are also illustrated, namely that it possesses a bursa copulatrix and that two pairs of very tiny p enial setae in sacs occasionally occur which penetrate the bursa copul atrix. It is also demonstrated that the structures hitherto regarded a s a 'coelomic duct' that supposedly links the two fertilization chambe rs is in fact a pair of ovarian ducts that lead from the paired ovarie s to the chambers; these ducts are not interlinked. It is further argu ed that neither Iridodrilus roseus nor Heliodrilus lagosensis can be r egarded as having a spermathecal system that is paired internally. The implications of these findings are discussed in relation to the taxon omy of the two named genera. It is recommended that Iridodrilus and He liodrilus be regarded as valid genera s.s. Beddard, though with modifi ed diagnoses.