Metaphire varians songbaana (Thai, 1984)

Pheretima varians songbaana Thai, 1984b: 617, fig. 2D; Nguyen 1994: 72; Pham 1995c: 93; Thai 2000a: 310; Huynh 2005a: 123; Nguyen V.T. & Tran 2008: 185; Pham 2010: 64.

Pheretima (Terrata) varians songbaana— Thai 1983: 123.

Metaphire varians songbaana— Blakemore 2007a: 103; Blakemore 2008b.

Type locality. Vietnam (Gia Lai: An Khe).

Type material. ZMUM (W.198), Russia.

Examined material. 5 C and 2 A (SORC-V.098.01) Banana garden, Lien Son, Mai Hoa, 21/8/1991, coll. Nguyen Duc Tan ; 10 C and 29 A (CTU-EW.077.01) primary forest, Kon Ka Kinh NP, Gia Lai, 20/10/2010, coll. Phan Thi Mai .

Records from Vietnam. Gia Lai (An Khe); Quang Binh (Quang Trach; Bo Trach); Quang Tri (Quang Tri town); Thua Thien Hue (Huong Dien; Hue); Da Nang (Hoa Vang; Son Tra; Hai Van; Ba Na NP); Quang Nam (Hiep Duc; Tam Ky; Tien Phuoc); Quang Ngai (Quang Ngai; Tu Nghia); Binh Dinh (Thai 1984b; Nguyen 1994; Pham 1995c, 2010; Huynh 2005a; Nguyen V.T. & Tran 2008).

Distribution. Only known from Vietnam.

Vietnamese name. Giun sông ba.

Remarks. Thai (1983) proposed a new subgenus Terrata of the genus Pheretima, and placed the species under the new subgenus. Material was re-examined and presence of male copulatory pouches and hence placement of the species in Metaphire is confirmed here.