title: Seven new species of the earthworm genus Metaphire Sims & Easton, 1972 from Thailand (Clitellata: Megascolecidae).
abstract: Earthworm specimens collected from various parts of Thailand were found to contain seven new species of the genus Metaphire Sims & Easton, 1972. These are M. songkhlaensis sp. n. in the octothecal pulauensis species group,                        M. trangensis sp. n. in the octothecal ignobilis species group, M. khaoluangensis sp. n. and M. khaochamao sp. n. in the sexthecal houlleti species group, M. doiphamon sp. n. in the sexthecal peguana species group, M. saxicalcis sp. n. in the quadrithecal planata species group, and the bithecal M. surinensis sp. n. Type material of some established species from Thailand or northern Malaysia was reinvestigated and illustrated to confirm the status of the new species and to facilitate species comparisons: M. pulauensis (Beddard, 1900), M. baruana (Stephenson, 1932), both with newly designated         lectotypes, and M. planata (Gates, 1936), illustrated and redescribed.
authors.affiliation: Biological Sciences Program, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand Animal Systematics Research Unit, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand; Email: somsak.pan@chula.ac.th.
authors.forename: Ueangfa
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Bantaowong
authors.affiliation: Program in Animal Science, Faculty of Agricultural Technology, Sakon Nakhon Rajabhat University, Sakon Nakhon 47000, Thailand; Email: cratmanee@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Ratmanee
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Chanabun
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA 52242.; Email: samuel-james@uiowa.edu.
authors.forename: Samuel W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: James
authors.affiliation: Animal Systematics Research Unit, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand; Email: unknown.
authors.forename: Somsak
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Panha
mesh_terms: D063147:Animal Distribution; D000825:Animal Structures / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000254:growth & development; D000818:Animals; D049628:Body Size; D017753:Ecosystem; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D009835:Oligochaeta / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000145:classification* / Q000254:growth & development; D009929:Organ Size; D012987:Soil / Q000469:parasitology; D013785:Thailand
chemical_list: D012987:Soil