ヒョウタンミミズ

　　Diagnosis. Four pairs of spermathecal pores in furrows 5/6/7/8/9. Male pores simple, superficial on segment 18. Gourd-shaped colored patch types external markings (genital glands absent), close to male pores, on segment 17¬–19. Simple intestinal caeca, originating in segment 27.

　　Material examined. Holotype (RUMF-ZO-00021): collected from humus soil under the natural forest dominated by C. sieboldii, nearby Mt. Nishime-dake, Kunigami Village, Okinawa-jima Island, 26°48′12′′N, 128°16′22′′E, 340 m a.s.l., 18-XII-1998, by Y. Azama and K. Ishizuka. Five paratypes (RUMF-ZO-00022–26): same data as the holotype.

　　Description. Measurement and color: Body length 53–74 mm, width 2.6–3.1 mm in segment 13. Number of segments 79–102. Purplish-brown dorsally, light yellowish-grey ventrally, dark-brown clitellum.

　　External characters: Four pairs of spermathecal pores situated in furrows 5/6/7/8/9, in ventro-lateral sides, separated by a distance of ca. 1/4 body circumference. Genital markings absent, but two types external markings (genital glands absent) paired, one is granular and it contacts each spermathecal pores in pre-clitellar; another one is large gourd-shape colored patch types, close to male pores, extending from post-setal on segment 17 to pre-setal on segment 19 in post-clitellar. First dorsal pore beginning in furrow 12/13. Clitellum occupying segments 14–16. Female pore single, mid-ventrally on segment 14. Male pores paired, superficial on segment 18, separated by a distance of ca. 1/4 body circumference. Setal number 24–28 in segment 7, 28–34 in segment 20, 3–4 between male pores.

　　Internal characters: Spermathecae four pairs in segment s 6–9; ampulla consisting of a shovel-shaped pouch and a short duct; diverticulum consisting of a sausage-shaped pouch and a duct. Genital glands absent. Septa absent in 8/9/10, thickened in 5/6/7/8 and 10/11. Seminal vesicles small, extending in segments 11–12. Intestine begins in segment 15. Prostate extending through segments 16–21, twisted duct associated with the male pores. Simple intestinal caeca paired, originating in segment 27, extending to anteriorly for 2–3 segments.

　　Remarks: The new species is distinguishable from the other congeneric species which shared morphological characteristics such as four pairs of spermathecal pores in furrows 5/6/7/8/9 and simple intestinal caeca, by large gourd-shaped colored patch type external markings (genital glands absent) close to male pores and extend from post-setal on segment 17 to pre-setal on segment 19 in post-clitellar (Chang et al., 2009; Chen, 1931, 1933, 1935, 1936, 1938, 1946; Chen et al., 1975; Gates, 1935, 1972; Ishizuka, 2001, 2015; Ishizuka and Minagoshi, 2014).

　　Etymology: The specific epithet “cucurbitae” in Latin word means “gourd”. This name referes to the morphological characteristics of this species which has gourd-shaped external markings closed to male pores.