Dendrobaena victorum Szederjesi, Pop & Csuzdi, 2025

Dendrobaena victorum Szederjesi, Pop & Csuzdi sp. nov.

( Figure 3 View FIGURE 3 )

Dendrobaena alpina View in CoL : Csuzdi et al. 2005: 121.

Dendrobaena alpina alpina View in CoL : Pop et al. 2007:S54.

Dendrobaena alpina alpina View in CoL : Csuzdi et al. 2011: 13.

Holotype. ICB-437 Romania, Retezat Mts , Stanuleti, N45.29752° E22.83293°, 30.07.2005, leg. Cs. Csuzdi, M. Csuzdi, V.V. Pop. GoogleMaps

Paratypes. ICB-436 1 ex., GoogleMaps HNHM/15027 About HNHM 15 ex. Romania, Retezat Mts , Rotunda , N45.3150° E22.77716°, 30.07.2005, leg. Cs. Csuzdi, M. Csuzdi, V.V. Pop. GoogleMaps HNHM/15600 About HNHM 12 ex., Romania, Retezat Mts, Valea Lapusnicului , 6 km after Rotunda , spruce forest, 30.06.2005, leg. Cs. Csuzdi, M. Csuzdi, V.V. Pop. GoogleMaps HNHM/15030 About HNHM 10 ex., GoogleMaps HNHM/15601 About HNHM 7 ex., Romania, Retezat Mts, Val. Lapusnicului, Stănuleţi , 30.06.2005, leg. Cs. Csuzdi, M. Csuzdi, V.V. Pop GoogleMaps .

Diagnosis. Length 56–77 mm, diameter 2–3 mm, setae widely paired. Colour slight pinkish anterio-dorsally. First dorsal pore in 5/6. Clitellum on 27, 28– 33, tubercles on 30–32. Male pore great slit on 15, surrounded by a pair of small glandular crescents. Nephridial pores irregularly alternate between b and above d. Three pairs of vesicles in 9,11,12; spermathecae two pairs in 9/10–10/11 open in M. Well-developed calciferous diverticula in 11–12. Hearts in segments 6–10, nephridial bladders simple, sausage-shaped.

External characters. Holotype, tail cut-off specimen. Paratypes 56–77 mm long and 2–3 mm wide. Number of segments 123–140. Colour slight pinkish anteriorly. Prostomium epilobous ½ closed. First dorsal pore at intersegmental furrow 5/6. Setae widely paired. Setal arrangement behind clitellum: aa: ab: bc: cd: dd = 1.88:1:1.19:1:2.81. Male pores great slits on segment 15, surrounded by glandular crescents, protruding slightly into the neighbouring segments. Nephridial pores irregularly alternate between setal line b–d. Clitellum on segments 27, 28–33. Tubercula pubertatis slightly glandular on 30–32, sometimes just a small notch. Glandular tumescences usually lacking, rarely on 33 ab.

Internal characters. All septa membranous. Testes and funnels paired in segments 10–11, covered with perioesophageal testis sac. Three pairs of seminal vesicles in 9, 11, and 12. Spermathecae two pairs in 9/10, 10/11 with external openings near the mid-dorsal line (M). Calciferous glands well-developed in segments 11–12. Paired hearts appear in segments 6–10. Nephridial bladders simple, sausage-shaped. Crop in segments 15–16, and gizzard in segments 17–18. Typhlosolis bilobous. Longitudinal musculature of pinnate type.

Etymology. The new species is named in honour of Victor and Victor V. Pop in recognition of their tremendous work in earthworm research.

Remarks. The new species is very similar to certain other Carpathian, Balkanic and Anatolian species ( Table 3 View TABLE 3 ). However, it differs from D. armeniaca by the position of the spermatheal openings (M vs. d –M); from the pale D. misirlioglui by its slight pinkish pigmentation; from D. orientaloides by its shorter clitellum and tubercles (27,28–33 vs. 25–33; 30–32 vs. 30–32, 1/n33), its lighter pigmentation and the position of the last hearts (10 vs. 11); and from the pale D. popi by its slight pinkish pigmentation, the position of the spermathecal openings (M vs. M> d) and the position of the last hearts (10 vs. 11).