Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in
Book cover

Aquatic Oligochaeta pp 27–37Cite as

Contributions towards the taxonomy of the African Naididae (Oligochaeta). IV. Zoogeographical and taxonomical considerations on African Naididae

  • Conference paper

Part of the book series: Developments in Hydrobiology ((DIHY,volume 40))

Abstract

A systematic revision of African Naididae confirmed the presence of 16 genera and 48 species. Allonais ranauana Boldt, 1932 is confirmed as a distinct species, Nais raviensis Stephenson, 1914 has very short gills and is a species of Dero, and Rhopalonais has equally obscure gills and is attributable to Dero. Pristina proboscidea Beddard, 1896 is synonymous with P. longiseta Ehrenberg, 1828.

African naidids are primarily tropical, the most widespread genus is Pristina, followed by Aulophorus, Nais and Dero. Nais is dominant in South Africa, whereas the other genera predominate in the tropics along with Rhopalonais. The most widespread species are A. furcatus, N. variabilis, P. longiseta and P. menoni.

Serrations on hair setae and intermediate teeth in bifid needles are universally present as seen under SEM, their reported absence under light microscopes is attributable to lack of resolution power. SEM is also useful in determining gills in Dero. Size of setae within and between individuals is more constant than the literature would suggest as the standard deviation is usually less than 10% of the mean. There is a constant relationship between setal length and size of worm, and between median ventral setae and needles in this material.

Setal size is a diagnostic character in taxonomy. The standard deviation of the mean number of segments in front of the budding zone averages 9.9%, the highest value (25.7%) was for Stylaria fossularis. Differences of more than 10% may usually be considered diagnostic. The total number of segments is exceedingly variable and cannot be used as a taxonomical characteristic. The same applies to segment length or diameter.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   74.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Aiyer, K. S. P., 1930. An account of the Oligochaeta of Travancore. Rec. Indian Mus. 31: 13–85.

    Google Scholar 

  • Beddard, F. F., 1896. Naiden, Tubificiden und Terricolen. Ergebn. Hamburger Magelhaensischen Sammelreise 1892/93, Hamburg. 3: 4–5.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bourne, A. G., 1891. Notes on the naidiform Oligochaeta. Q. J1. Microsc. Sci. (N.S.) 32: 335–353.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bretscher, K., 1896. Die Oligochaeten von Zürich. Revue suisse Zool. 3: 499–504.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bretscher, K., 1900. Mitteilungen über die Oligochaetenfauna der Schweizs. Revue suisse Zool. 8: 1.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bretscher, K., 1903. Beobachtungen über die Oligocheten der Schweiz. VII. Revue suisse Zool. 11: 1.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brinkhurst, R. O., 1966. A contribution towards a revision of the aquatic Oligochaeta of Africa. Zool. Afr. 2: 131–166.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brinkhurst, R. O., 1970. A further contribution towards a study of the aquatic oligochaeta of Africa. Revue. Zool. Bot. afr. 81: 101–108.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brinkhurst, R. O., 1985. The generic and subfamilial classification of the Naididae (Annelida: Oligochaeta). Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash. 98(2): 470–475.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brinkhurst, R. O., 1986. Guide to the freshwater microdrile oligochaetes of North America. Can. Special Publ. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 84: 1–259.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brinkhurst, R. O. & B. G. M. Jamieson, 1971. Aquatic Oligochaeta of the World. Oliver & Boyd, Edinburgh. 860 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brinkhurst, R. O. & M. J. Wetzel, 1984. Aquatic Oligochaeta of the World: Supplement. Can. Tech. Rep. Hydrogr. Ocean Sci. 44: 1–101.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cavalli-Sforza, L., 1974. Biometrie. Grundzüge biologischmedizinischer Statistik. Gustav Fischer, Stuttgart. 212 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cernosvitov, L., 1937. Notes sur les Oligochaeta (Naididées et Enchytraeidées) de TArgentine. An. Mus. nac. Hist. nat. Buenos Aires. 39: 135–147.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dahl, I., 1957. Results from the Danish expedition to the French Cameroons. Bull. Inst. fr. Afr. noire. 19: 1154–1172.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dzwillo, M. & Grimm, R., 1974. Eine neue afrikanische Naidide: Rhopalonais africana gen. nov. spec. nov. Mitt. hamb. zool. Mus. Inst. Hamburg. 71: 87–94.

    Google Scholar 

  • Grimm, R., 1974. Einige Oligochaeten aus Nigeria, dem Tschad und der Zentralafrikanischen Republik. Mitt. hamb. zool. Mus. Inst., Hamburg. 71: 95–114.

    Google Scholar 

  • Grimm, R., 1985. Beiträge zur Systematik der afrikenischen Naididae (Oligochaeta) I. Vier neue afrikanische Naididen-Arten. Mitt. hamb. zool. Mus. Inst., Hamburg. 82: 101–108.

    Google Scholar 

  • Grimm, R., 1985a. Beiträge zur Systematik der afrikanischen Naididae (Oligochaeta) II. Dero raviensis (Stephenson, 1914) und Aulophorus africanus Michaelsen, 1914 - zwei verbreitete afrikanische Arten. Mitt. hamb. zool. Mus. Inst., Hamburg. 82: 109–117.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gruithuisen, F. V. P., 1828. Über die Nais diaphana und die Nais diastropha mit dem Nerven- und Blutsystem derselben. Nova Acta phys.-med. Acad. Leop. Carol. Nat. Cur. Bonn. 11: 233.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hrabë, S., 1966. On some Naididae from the Volta Lake in the Ghana. Publ. Fac. Sci. Univ. Brno. 477: 373–387.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kreyszig, E., 1965. Statistische Methoden und ihre Anwendungen. Vandenhoek & Ruprecht, Göttingen. 422 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lauzanne, L., 1968. Inventaire preliminaire des Oligochaetes du Lac Tchad. Cah. O.R.S.T.O.M., sér. Hydrobiol., Fort Lamy. 2(1): 83–110.

    Google Scholar 

  • Loden, M. S. & W. J: Harman, 1982. Dero (Aulophorus) intermedia nomen novum for Aulophorus pectinatus Stephenson, 1931 (Oligochaeta, Naididae). Freshwat. Invertebr. Biol. 1: 53–54.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Michaelsen, W., 1905. Die Oligochaeten Deutsch-Ostafrikas. Z. wiss. Zool. 82: 288–311.

    Google Scholar 

  • Michaelsen, W., 1914. Beiträge zur Kenntnis der Land- und Süß wasserfauna Deutsch-Südwestafrikas. Oligochaeta, Reg. Hamb. Deutsch Südwest-Afrikas, Studienreise, Hamburg. 9: 137–153.

    Google Scholar 

  • Michaelsen & Boldt, W., 1932. Oligochaeta der deutschen lim- nologischen Sunda-Expedition. In: Thienemann, A.: Tropische Binnengewässer II. Arch. Hydrobiol. Suppl. 9: 587.

    Google Scholar 

  • Naidu, K. V., 1962. Studies on the freshwater Oligochaeta of South India. J. Bombay nat. Hist. Soc., 59(1): 131–145.

    Google Scholar 

  • Piguet, E., 1906. Observacions sur les Naididées et révisions systematique de queleques espèces de cette famille. Revue suisse Zool. 14: 185–265.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sperber, C., 1948. A taxonomical study of the Naididae. Zool. Bidr. Upps. 28: 1–296.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stephenson, J., 1910. Studies on the Oligochaeta of the Punjab. Rec. Indian Mus. 5: 50–237.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stephenson, J., 1911. On some aquatic Oligochaeta in the collection of the Indian Museum. Rec. Indian Mus. 6: 203–209.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stephenson, J., 1920. On a collection of Oligochaeta from the lesser known parts of India and from Eastern Persia. Mem. Indian Mus. 7: 191–200.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stephenson, J., 1930. The Oligochaeta. Oxford.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stephenson, J., 1931. Oligochaeta from Burma, Kenya and other parts of the world. Proc. zool. Soc. Lond. 1931. 1–2: 33–46.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vejdovsky, F., 1883. Revisio Oligochaetorum Bohemiae. Sber. böhm. Ges. Naturw. 1883. 215.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Zoologisches Institut und Zoologisches Museum, Universität Hamburg, Martin-Luther-King-Platz 3, 2000, Hamburg 13, Fed. Rep. Germany

    Reinmar Grimm

Authors
  1. Reinmar Grimm
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Ocean Sciences, Ocean Ecology Laboratory, Government of Canada, P.O. Box 6000, Sidney, British Columbia, Canada, V8L 4B2

    Ralph O. Brinkhurst

  2. Virginia Institute of Marine Science, College of William and Mary, Gloucester Point, VA, 23062, USA

    Robert J. Diaz

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1987 Dr W. Junk Publishers, Dordrecht

About this paper

Cite this paper

Grimm, R. (1987). Contributions towards the taxonomy of the African Naididae (Oligochaeta). IV. Zoogeographical and taxonomical considerations on African Naididae. In: Brinkhurst, R.O., Diaz, R.J. (eds) Aquatic Oligochaeta. Developments in Hydrobiology, vol 40. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-3091-9_3

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-3091-9_3

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-94-010-7889-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-009-3091-9

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation