searchable PDF - Association for Mexican Cave Studies

Eodrilus albidus GatesEodrilus albus Gates, 1970:267-269 (nom. preocup.);Reddell, 1971b:13; Reddell and Mitcnell, 1971b:183, fig. 7; Mitchell and Kawakatsu, 1973a:675,676; Gates, 1973:21; Reddell, 1973a:37; Reynoldsand Cook 1976:67.Eodrilus sp.: Gates, 1971:7-8; Gates, 1973:21.Eodrilus albidus Gates, 1973:21 (nom. nov.); Reynoldsand Cook, 1976:67.Large earthworm, probably Eodrilus albus: Mitchelland Kawakatsu, 1973a:657.Eodrilus (part)· Reddell, 1973a:32.Type-Iocality.-Cueva de la Perra (=Capilla), LaPerra (=EI Porvenir), 15 miles northwest of GomezFarias, Tamaulipas, Mexico.Distribution.-Known from the type-locality andpossibly one other cave in the Sierra de Guatemala,Tamaulipas. See Fig. 4.Records.-Tamaulipas: Cueva de la Capilia and?Cueva de las Perlas.Discussion.-This species is included as a troglobitestrictly on the basis of its habitat and the transparencyof the body wall. It is only known to inhabitmud-floored drip pools in darkness in the two abovecaves. The integument is thin and pigmentation isgreatly reduced. Other members of the genus areknown only from tropical lowland areas. Specimensfrom Cueva de las Perlas were poorly preserved butprobably belong to this species.Eodrilus mexicanus GatesEodrilus, undescribed: Reddell, 1967d: 106.Eodrilus mexicanus Gates, 1968:63-70; Gates, 1970:267, 268, 269; Gates, 1971:7-8; Reddell, 1971b:183; Gates, 1972:26; Reddell, 1973a:37; Reynoldsand Cook, 1976:136.Eodrilus: Peck and Peck, 1973:67.Eodrilus (part): Reddell, 1973a:32.Type.locality.-Sotano de Tlamaya, San Luis Potosi,Mexico.Distribution.-Known only from caves in the vicinityof Xilitla, San Luis Potosi. See Fig. 4.Records.-San Luis POtOSI: Cueva de la Parra,Cueva del Salitre, and S6tano de Tlamaya.Discussion.-This species is known only from drippools in each of the above caves. It is essentially pigmentlessand, when alive, is so transparent that internalorgans are easily visible. For this reason, and becausethe genus is otherwise one of a strictly lowlandtropical distribution, this species is considered a possibletroglobite. A record of this species from Sotanode San Agustin, Oaxaca (Gates, 1972), is doubtlessan error in identification or curation.Family GlossoscolecidaeThis family is represented in Mexican caves onlyby specimens of Pontoscolex sp. d. corethrurus(Mueller) from Sotano de Huitzmolotitla, San LuisPotosi.Family LumbricidaeThree species, all exotics, are known from Mexicancaves. Dendrodrilus rubidus (Savigny) has beencollected in caves in San Luis Potosi, Tamaulipas, andVeracruz (Gates, 1973, 1977). Octolasion tyrtaeum(Savigny) is known from several caves in Queretaroand San Luis Potosi (Gates, 1971, 1973). Specimensof Aporrectodea rosea (Savigny) have been foundonly in S6tano de la loya de Salas, Tamaulipas(Gates, 1971).Family MegascolecidaeTwo species of the family l\legascolecidae havebeen collected in Mexican caves. Pheretima diffringens(Baird) is frequently found in stream caves andhas been taken from mud and beneath rotting woodin Oaxaca, Puebla, San Luis Potosi, and Veracfllz(Gates, 1971, 1977). Pheretima hawayana (Rosa)was Gollected from wet mud under rotting wood inSumidero de Cuetzeltemanes, Puebla (Gates, 1977).Family OcnerodrilidaeEukerria saltensis (Beddard) was collected fromwet guano and silt in Cueva de la Florida. Tamaulipas(Gates, 1971). this is the only species of this familyreported from Mexican caves.Family OctochaetidaeFive species of the family Octochaetidae havebeen found in Mexican caves. Pickford (1938) reportedDichogaster affinis (Michaelsen) and D. bolaui(Michaelsen) from caves in Yucatan. Undeterminedspecimens of Dichogaster have been found incaves in San Luis Potosi and Tamaulipas. The genusTrigaster is represented by three cave species (presumablytroglophiles) in San Luis Potosi and NuevoLeon. Trigaster reddelli and T. vallesensis were describedby Gates (1971) from Sotano de Yerbaniz,San Luis Potosi; T. albidus Gates is known onlyfrom So13no del Anticlino, uevo Leon (Gates,1973). These three species are extremely abundantand obviously thriving in deep mud in these twocaves.Class HirudineaLeeches are only rarely collected in caves, but inat least several localities they constitute a significant77