Status revision of two endemic Megascolex Templeton, 1844 subspecies from the Western Ghats of Kerala State, India (Clitellata, Megascolecidae)

Prasanth Narayanan, S. and Paliwal, R. and Thomas, A.P. and Julka, J.M. (2025) Status revision of two endemic Megascolex Templeton, 1844 subspecies from the Western Ghats of Kerala State, India (Clitellata, Megascolecidae). OPUSCULA ZOOLOGICA (BUDAPEST), 56 (3). pp. 1-12. ISSN 0237-5419

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Abstract

The earthworm genus Megascolex Templeton, 1844, is restricted to Peninsular India and Sri Lanka. Herein this work the status of the two endemic Megascolex subspecies, namely, M. konkanensis longus Stephenson, 1915, and M. cochinensis phaseolus Stephenson, 1915, are revised based on a collection of specimens from the Parambikulam Tiger Reserve of Kerala State, India, where the type locality Parambikulam is situated. Detailed descriptions of M. konkanensis longus Stephenson, 1915 and M. cochinensis phaseolus Stephenson, 1915 are provided along with illustrations of the key characters. Based on the current study, both subspecies are elevated to species rank as M. longus and M. phaseolus.

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