Post by Sebbe on Sept 15, 2017 11:50:36 GMT
Although it has been debated whether this species had been translocated or was an isolated endemic from around the small clearing in the Papaioea forest first inhabited by Maori and later by Europeans, the latter is assumed here. There is no evidence of it from Australia. Subsequent reports of this species are found neither in a national survey by Lee (1952, 1959) nor from city or surrounding district searches in 1979 and 1996 (Yeates and Spiridonov 1996). The type locality, Palmerston North, is also site of the AgResearch's Grasslands Research Centre, which conducted many field studies failing to record this species, although exotic lumbricids are common (Springett et al. 1998). It is estimated that the species has a very restricted range with an extent of occurrence (EOO) and area of occupancy (AOO) of 4 km² and occurs only at one location, which is affected by urbanisation, invasive species and agriculture. A continuing decline in the extent and quality of habitat as well as in the number of mature individuals is inferred from the ongoing threats. Therefore, the species is assessed as Critically Endangered and may be possibly extinct. Aporodrilus mortenseni appears uncollected from anywhere since 1915 over a century ago.
Aporodrilus mortenseni (Michaelsen, 1924), formerly Megascolex mortenseni, was originally described (from a suburban garden?) at Palmerston North. Lee (1959) thought it "almost certainly introduced by man" or “probably introduced” due to its habitat, outlying range and a lack of subsequent records. Lee (1952) said: “No details of its environment are given, so it cannot be definitely decided whether it is introduced or endemic”; yet later Lee (1959) claimed it “from a suburban garden” although his source of this information was unstated. The curator of Oligochaeta at Copenhagen Zoological Museum (Dannny Eibye-Jacobsen) informs that the original label has no such habitat statement (pers. comm. to R.J. Blakemore, November 2016) although the garden data was later added to their database, possibly from Blakemore (2011) information, itself based upon Lee's (1959) statement.
Aporodrilus mortenseni (Michaelsen, 1924), formerly Megascolex mortenseni, was originally described (from a suburban garden?) at Palmerston North. Lee (1959) thought it "almost certainly introduced by man" or “probably introduced” due to its habitat, outlying range and a lack of subsequent records. Lee (1952) said: “No details of its environment are given, so it cannot be definitely decided whether it is introduced or endemic”; yet later Lee (1959) claimed it “from a suburban garden” although his source of this information was unstated. The curator of Oligochaeta at Copenhagen Zoological Museum (Dannny Eibye-Jacobsen) informs that the original label has no such habitat statement (pers. comm. to R.J. Blakemore, November 2016) although the garden data was later added to their database, possibly from Blakemore (2011) information, itself based upon Lee's (1959) statement.
www.iucnredlist.org/details/103186194/0