| Abstract: | ![]()
Two new earthworms species, Beddardiella soforei n.sp. and Beddardiella numanensis n.sp., are described from Michika and Numan in north eastern Nigeria. They, like their earlier described congeners, are characterized by non-continuity of the lumen of the thecovarian duct with that of the spermatheca, the locations of two oesophageal gizzards in either V–VI or VI–VII (as against a single gizzard in V in other Eudrilinae), the location of ventral oesophageal sacs in X–XII as against IX–XI, and the location of calciferous glands in XV as against XIII. These probably represent sufficient reasons to erect a new subfamily to accommodate the genus Beddardiella. But, as a continuing analysis reveals more variations among the Eudrilinae it is recommended that this awaits a more comprehensive reclassification of the family. |
