Revision of the earthworm genus Archipheretima Michaelsen (Clitellata: Megascolecidae), with descriptions of new species from Luzon and Catanduanes Islands, Philippines

A revision of Archipheretima (Clitellata: Megascolecidae) based on all available type material and the description of five new species modifies the genus diagnosis in the following points: Archipheretima have calciferous lamellar regions of the esophagus in the region of segments xi-xiii, paired supraesophageal vessels with connectives to the calciferous lamellae, hearts of xiii attached post-septally, multiple paired dorsolateral intestinal caeca, and usually very sparse dorsal setae. Blue coloration is common to all the species described, and probably to the other known species. Non-Philippine species previously assigned to the genus are excluded by this diagnosis; as a result, the new combinations Polypheretima picta (Michaelsen, 1892) and P. beccarii (Cognetti, 1909) are proposed. The new species are named Archipheretima gritzae, A. middletoni, A. ricei, A. cofini, and A. pandanophila. They were collected only on Luzon Island, except A. gritzae which also occurs on Catanduanes. The redefined Archipheretima is a biogeographically and morphologically homogenous taxon.