Three new species of Potamothrix (Oligochaeta, Naididae, Tubificinae) from Fuxian lake, the deepest lake of Yunnan Province, Southwest China

Abstract

Three new species of Potamothrix Vejdovský & Mrázek, 1902 (Oligochaeta: Tubificinae), P. praeprostatus sp. n., P. paramoldaviensis sp. n. and P. parabedoti sp. n., are reported from Fuxian Lake of Yunnan Province, Southwest China. P. praeprostatus differs from its allies by its prostate glands joining atria in its proximal to middle portion, and spermathecal chaetae. P. paramoldaviensis is distinguishable from its allies by having penial chaeta but no penes, and differs from P. moldaviensis by its homogenous atrium. P. parabedoti is distinctive in the position of its reproductive organs, and differs from P. bedoti by its homogenous atrium. Hitherto, 34 freshwater oligochaete species have been recorded in Yunnan Province, including nine endemic species from the plateau lakes. © Yongde Cui, Hongzhu Wang.