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| A. Philomontanus sarii sp. nov. B. Philomontanus mahmoudi sp. nov. C. Philomontanus baloutchi sp. nov..
Bozorgi, Seiedy, Malek, Aira, Pérez-Losada & Domínguez, 2019
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Abstract
Lumbricidae taxonomy is vastly restricted by the morphological simplicity of earthworms and their lack of complex appendices. This has led to confusing results in the Lumbricidae classifications, which in turn, has hindered our ability to identify and assign new and cryptic species to the family. Here we propose the addition of a new Lumbricidae genus from the Zagros and Elburz Mountains of Iran, i.e. Philomontanus gen. nov., including three new species. Our taxonomic inferences were based on the phylogenetic analysis of two nuclear gene regions (28S rDNA and 18S rDNA) and 11 mitochondrial gene regions (16S rDNA, 12S rDNA, NADH dehydrogenase I, cytochrome oxidase subunits I and II and tRNAs Asn, Asp, Val, Leu, Ala and Ser). Philomontanus gen. nov. comprises the earthworm species Philomontanus sarii sp. nov., Philomontanus mahmoudi sp. nov. and Philomontanus baloutchi sp. nov. These three species are morphologically similar to each other with only a few characters separating them (e.g. size, pigmentation and position of clitellum). Our findings support the adoption of an integrative approach including molecular information (e.g., DNA sequences) to aid earthworm classification and develop a robust taxonomy.
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| Fig 1. Study area in the Zagros and Elburz Mountains of Iran (This map is originally created by first author, using ArcGIS, Mapping & Analytical platform. Red, Type locality of Philomontanus sarii sp. nov., Elburz Mountains. Green, Type locality of Philomontanus mahmoudi sp. nov., Zagros Mountains. Blue, Type locality of Philomontanus baloutchi sp. nov., Zagros Mountains. |
Taxonomy
Phylum Annelida Lamarck, [1802]
Class Oligochaeta Grube, [1850]/ Clitellata Michaelsen, [1919]
Order Megadrilli Benham, [1890] /Haplotaxida Michaelsen, [1900]
Family Lumbricidae Rafinesque-Schmaltz, 1815
Genus Philomontanus gen. nov.
Diagnosis: Setae widely distant. Pigmentation variable, red-violet or totally pale. Prostomium epi- or tanylobous. First dorsal pore around 7/8. Male pore on 15 very small, on setal line bc. Clitellum annular. Spermathecae, which are small and round shaped present, frequently empty in 9/10–10/11 and open in setal line cd. Tubercula pubertatis ribbon shape. Nephridiopores aligned in setal bc. Two pairs of testes and funnels in segments 10–11, not iridescent. Four pairs of seminal vesicles in 9–12, those in 11 and 12 are slightly smaller than others. Two pairs of small, roundly shaped and almost empty spermathecae in 9/10 and 10/11 and open in setae line cd. Calciferous glands in segments 11 with hardly recognizable diverticula. Excretory system holoic, nephridial bladders ocarina shape. Typhlosole simple lamelliform, the cross-section of longitudinal muscle layer is of pinnate type. Since the morphological characters above are not sufficient to pinpoint the taxonomic position of Philomontanus in the Lumbricidae, we have used phylogenetic analysis of DNA sequences to determine its taxonomic position and closest relatives.
Type species: Philomontanus sarii sp. nov. by original designation herein.
Included species: Philomontanus sarii sp. nov., P. mahmoudi sp. nov. and P. baloutchi sp. nov.
Etymology. Philomontanus is composed of Philo (Greek prefix means liking for specified thing) and montanus (Latin noun means mountains). This name has been chosen as new genus and its three species have been found in mountains.
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| Fig 3. Ventrolateral view of the Philomontanus species. Arrows point to tubercula pubertatis A. Philomontanus sarii sp. nov. B. Philomontanus mahmoudi sp. nov. C. Philomontanus baloutchi sp. nov.. |
Philomontanus sarii Bozorgi & Malek sp. nov.
Etymology. The new species name was chosen to honor Dr. Alireza Sari, who has done extensive research on various aspects of Iranian fauna.
Philomontanus mahmoudi Bozorgi & Malek sp. nov.
Etymology. The new species is named in memory of coauthor Masoumeh Malek’s father.
Philomontanus baloutchi Bozorgi & Malek sp. nov.
Etymology. The new species is named in memory of Dr. Mohammad Baloutch, who was a prominent zoology professor in Iran.
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| Fig 5. Sampling sites of new species. (A1, A2) Mazandaran, Abbasabad (36.72 o N; 51.11o E), Elburz Mountains, sampling site of Philomontanus sarii sp. nov. (B1, B2) Kurdistan, Kamyaran (35.49o N; 46.35o E), Zagros Mountains, sampling site of Philomontanus mahmoudi sp. nov. (C1, C2) Kurdistan, Baneh (35.99o N; 45.88o E), Zagros Mountains, sampling site of Philomontanus baloutchi sp. nov.. |
Farnaz Bozorgi, Marjan Seiedy, Masoumeh Malek, Manuel Aira, Marcos Pérez-Losada and Jorge Domínguez. 2019. Multigene Phylogeny reveals A New Iranian Earthworm Genus (Lumbricidae: Philomontanus) with Three New Species. PLoS ONE. 14(1): e0208904. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0208904
