DESCRIPTION OF A NEW EARTHWORM SPECIES, NSUKKADRILUS-FUNMIE (EUDRILIDAE, OLIGOCHAETA, ANNELIDA) FROM NIGERIA

A new eudrilid earthworm species, Nsukkadrilus funmie sp.n. is describ ed from Ogoja (eastern Nigeria). The species belongs to the Eudrilus-H ippopera-Nsukkadrilus group of genera. It is differentiated from Eudri lus by possessing penial setae and intestinal gizzards and from Hippop era by possessing intestinal gizzards. Although classified as Nsukkadr ilus because it conforms to Sims' (1987) diagnosis of that genus, the new species bears three features which separate it from the only conge ner and type species, N. mbae. Firstly, it bears externally a pair of papillae in each of segments XVII and XVIII; the male pores open throu gh the anterior papillae; and the penial setae penetrate separately th rough the posterior papillae. Secondly, paired longitudinal membranous pouches on the ventral parieta in the juvenile fuse into a single med ian pouch associated with the ovospermathecae in the adult. Thirdly, i n the new species the form of the ovospermathecae is different from th ose of N. mbae. In spite of these morphological differences the new sp ecies is located within Nsukkadrilus until more evidence indicates oth erwise.