Current distribution of the invasive earthworm Pontoscolex corethrurus (Müller, 1857) after a century of its first report from Kerala state, India

Pontoscolex corethrurus (Müller, 1857) is an important peregrine earthworm species in the humid tropics and is found in land disturbed by human activities. Its presence in Kerala state was first reported by Michaelsen in 1910. So far the occurrence of 14 exotic earthworm species has been reported from Kerala state. However present distribution status of any of these exotic species is not yet thoroughly studied. Now P. corethrurus is naturalized in forests, degraded areas, and agroecosystems from the higher altitude areas to the coastal zones. Here, the current distribution pattern of P. corethrurus in the state after a period of 100 years is highlighted

New species and new records of earthworms of the genus Drawida from Kerala part of the Western Ghats biodiversity hotspot, India (Oligochaeta, Moniligastridae)

Volume: 691Start Page: 1End Page: 1

Figure 1 from: Narayanan SP, Sathrumithra S, Christopher G, Julka JM (2017) New species and new records of earthworms of the genus Drawida from Kerala part of the Western Ghats biodiversity hotspot, India (Oligochaeta, Moniligastridae). ZooKeys 691: 1-18. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.691.13174

Figure 1 - Drawida polydiverticulata sp. n. A Holotype - ventral view B Paratype – ventral view C Prostate – ventral view (gland uplifted) D Prostatic capsule – dorsal view E Spermathecal atria - dorsal view F Spermathecal atria - ventral view. Abbreviations: Atr. – Atrium; Atr.D. – Atrial duct; Pr.C. – Prostatic capsule; Prs. – Prostate; Pr.D. – Prostatic duct; Sep. – Septum; Sp.D. – Spermathecal duct; Sp.P. – Spermathecal pore; Vd – Vas deferens

Ocnerodrilidae

Family Ocnerodrilidae <p> 28. <b> <i>Gordiodrilus elegans</i> Beddard, 1892</b> </p> <p> <i>Gordiodrilus elegans</i> Beddard, 1892a: 84.</p> <p> <i>Gordiodrilus travancorensis</i> Michaelsen, 1910: 98.</p> <p> <i>Gordiodrilus paski</i> Stephenson, 1928: 1.</p> <p> <i>Gordiodrilus unicus</i> Stephenson, 1931: 79.</p> <p> <i>Gordiodrilus peguanus</i> Gates, 1942: 85.</p> <p>Further synonyms in Blakemore (2012).</p> <p> <b>T.</b> Lagos (6.453o N, 3.395o E), Nigeria. <b>D.</b> Dist. Thiruvananthapuram: Nedumangad (Michaelsen 1910); exotic. <b>R.</b> Synonym <i>Gordiodrilus travancorensis</i> described by Michaelsen (1910) was from Nedumangad (Thiruvananthapuram district) (Gates 1972).</p> <p> 29. <b> <i>Malabaria biprostata</i> Aiyer, 1929</b> </p> <p> <i>Malabaria biprostata</i> Aiyer, 1929: 73 –75; Julka & Senapati 1987: 16.</p> <p> <b>T.</b> Kumili (Kumily) (9.616o N, 77.15o E), India. <b>D.</b> Dist. Idukki: Kumili (Kumily) (Aiyer 1929); near endemic.</p> <p> 30. <b> <i>Malabaria oryzivora</i> (Stephenson, 1924)</b> </p> <p> <i>Aphanascus oryzivorus</i> Stephenson, 1924: 360–363.</p> <p> <i>Malabaria oryzivora</i> (Stephenson). Gates 1942: 92.</p> <p> <b>T.</b> Kollengode (10.616o N, 76.7o E), India. <b>D.</b> Dist. Palakkad: Kollengode (Stephenson 1924); Kerala endemic. <b>R.</b> Only known from the type locality.</p> <p> 31. <b> <i>Malabaria paludicola</i> Stephenson, 1924</b> </p> <p> <i>Malabaria paludicola</i> Stephenson, 1924: 356 –360.</p> <p> <b>T.</b> Kollengode (10.616o N, 76.7o E), India. <b>D.</b> Dist. Palakkad: Kollengode (Stephenson 1924); Kerala endemic. <b>R.</b> Only known from the type locality.</p> <p> 32. <b> <i>Nematogenia panamaensis</i> (Eisen, 1900)</b> </p> <p> <i>Ocnerodrilus (Nematogenia</i>) <i>lacuum</i> var. <i>panamaensis</i> Eisen, 1900:127. <i>Nematogenia josephina</i> Cognetti, 1904:3.</p> <p> <i>Nematogenia panamaensis</i> (Eisen). Michaelsen, 1900:376.</p> <p> <i>Ocnerodrilus lacuum</i> Sims & Gerard, 1985; 1999: 139; Julka & Paliwal 1990: 56. <b>T.</b> Panama (8.966o N, 79.533o W), Panama. <b>D.</b> Dist. Idukki: Vandiperiyar (Julka & Paliwal 1990); exotic.</p> <p> 33. <b> <i>Ocnerodrilus occidentalis</i> Eisen, 1878</b> </p> <p> <i>Ocnerodrilus occidentalis</i> Eisen, 1878:10.</p> <p> <i>Ocnerodrilus tenellulus</i> Gates, 1945: 223.</p> <p>Further synonyms in Blakemore (2012).</p> <p> <b>T.</b> Fresno County (36.708o N, 119.827o E), USA. <b>D.</b> Dist. Kottayam: Athirampuzha (Narayanan <i>et al.</i> 2014b); Dist. Alappuzha: Chengannur (Aiyer 1929); Dist. Thiruvananthapuram: Nedumangad (Michaelsen 1910), Trivandrum (Thiruvananthapuram) (Aiyer 1929); exotic.</p>Published as part of <i>Narayanan, S. Prasanth, Sathrumithra, S., Christopher, G., Thomas, A. P. & Julka, J. M., 2016, Checklist of the earthworms (Oligochaeta) of Kerala, a constituent of Western Ghats biodiversity hotspot, India, pp. 117-137 in Zootaxa 4193 (1)</i> on page 124, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4193.1.5, <a href="http://zenodo.org/record/166646">http://zenodo.org/record/166646</a&gt

Lumbricidae

Family Lumbricidae <p> 20. <b> <i>Eisenia fetida</i> (Savigny, 1826)</b> </p> <p> <i>Enterion fetidum</i> Savigny, 1826: 182.</p> <p> <i>Lumbricus semifasciatus</i>. Burmeister, 1835: 33.</p> <p> <i>Lumbricus foetidus</i> (Savigny). Duges 1837: 21.</p> <p> <i>Allolobophora</i> (<i>Notogama</i>) <i>foetida</i> (Savigny). Rosa, 1893: 424. <i>Helodrilus</i> (<i>Eisenia</i>) <i>foetidus</i> (Savigny). Michaelsen 1913:551. <i>Allolobophora</i> (<i>Eisenia</i>) <i>fetida</i> (Savigny). Stephenson 1923: 499. <i>Eisenia fetida</i> (Savigny). Michaelsen 1903:136.</p> <p> <i>Eisenia fasciata</i> Backlund, 1948: 1.</p> <p>Further synonymies in Blakemore (2012).</p> <p> <b>T.</b> Paris (42.856o N, 2.352o E), France. <b>D.</b> Dist. Thiruvananthapuram: Ponmudi (Michaelsen 1913); exotic.</p>Published as part of <i>Narayanan, S. Prasanth, Sathrumithra, S., Christopher, G., Thomas, A. P. & Julka, J. M., 2016, Checklist of the earthworms (Oligochaeta) of Kerala, a constituent of Western Ghats biodiversity hotspot, India, pp. 117-137 in Zootaxa 4193 (1)</i> on page 122, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4193.1.5, <a href="http://zenodo.org/record/166646">http://zenodo.org/record/166646</a&gt

Moniligastridae

Family Moniligastridae <p> 1. <b> <i>Drawida agricola</i> Stephenson, 1925</b> </p> <p> <i>Drawida agricola</i> Stephenson, 1925: 53 –54.</p> <p> <b>T</b>. Taliparamba (12.037ºN, 75.359o E), India. <b>D.</b> Dist. Kannur: Taliparamba (Stephenson, 1925); Kerala endemic. <b>R.</b> Only known from the original description.</p> <p> 2. <b> <i>Drawida brunnea</i> Stephenson, 1915</b> </p> <p> <i>Drawida brunnea</i> Stephenson, 1915: 51 –52.</p> <p> <b>T.</b> Parambikulam (10.383o N, 76.708o E), India. <b>D.</b> Dist. Palakkad: Parambikulam (Stephenson 1915); Kerala endemic. <b>R.</b> Only known from the original description.</p> <p> 3. <b> <i>Drawida chalakudiana</i> Stephenson, 1915</b> </p> <p> <i>Drawida chalakudiana</i> Stephenson, 1915: 54 –57.</p> <p> <b>T.</b> Chalakudi (Chalakudy) (10.3o N, E 76.33o E), India. <b>D.</b> Dist. Thrissur: Chalakudi (Stephenson 1915); Kerala endemic. <b>R.</b> Only known from the original description.</p> <p> 4. <b> <i>Drawida circumpapillata</i> Aiyer, 1929</b> </p> <p> <i>Drawida circumpapillatus</i> Aiyer, 1929: 50 –51.</p> <p> <b>T.</b> Nedumangad (8.603o N, 77.002o E), India. <b>D.</b> Dist. Thiruvananthapuram: Nedumangad (Aiyer 1929), Vembayam (Aiyer 1929); Kerala endemic. <b>R.</b> Only known from the original description.</p> <p> 5. <b> <i>Drawida ghatensis</i> Michaelsen, 1910</b> </p> <p> <i>Drawida ghatensis</i> Michaelsen, 1910: 52 –54; Stephenson 1915: 49; Aiyer 1929: 48.</p> <p> <b>T.</b> Tenmalai (Thenmala) (8.95o N, 77.06o E), India; Types: ZSIC 4166 /7 (ZSIC catalogue). <b>D.</b> Dist. Palakkad: Road to Valiyaparathodu (Silent Valley National Park) (Julka & Chandra 1986); Dist. Thrissur: Kavalai in Forest Tramway (Stephenson 1915); Dist. Kottayam: Athirampuzha (Narayanan <i>et al.</i> 2014b), Kottayam (Michaelsen 1910); Dist. Pathanamthitta: Thiruvella (Thiruvalla) (Aiyer 1929); Dist. Kollam: Kulattupuzha (Kulathupuzha) (Michaelsen 1910), Maddathoray (Madathara) (Michaelsen 1910), Tenmalai (Thenmala) (Michaelsen 1910); Dist. Thiruvananthapuram: Bonaccord (Bonacaud, Bonakkad) (Michaelsen 1913), Mukkunni Reserve Forest (Aiyer 1929), Ponmudi (Michaelsen 1913); Kerala endemic.</p> <p> 6. <b> <i>Drawida grandis</i> (Bourne, 1886)</b> </p> <p> <i>Moniligaster grandis</i> Bourne, 1886: 671.</p> <p> <i>Drawida grandis</i> (Bourne). Michaelsen 1900: 117; Julka & Chandra 1986: 167. <b>T.</b> Nilgiris (11.40o N, 76.70o E), India. <b>D.</b> Dist. Palakkad: Kanjikode (Kathireswari <i>et al.</i> 2005), Mukkali (Julka & Chandra 1986), Silent Valley National Park (Julka & Chandra 1986; Mohan <i>et al.</i> 2011); near endemic.</p> <p> 7. <b> <i>Drawida impertusa</i> Stephenson, 1920</b> </p> <p> <i>Drawida barwelli</i> var. <i>impertusus</i> Stephenson, 1920: 200 –202; Aiyer 1929: 47.</p> <p> <i>Drawida impertusa</i> Stephenson. Gates 1965: 87.</p> <p> <b>T.</b> Bombay (now Mumbai) (18.975o N, 72.825o E), India. <b>D.</b> Dist. Palakkad: Kanjikode (Kathireswari <i>et al.</i> 2005); Dist. Idukki: Vandiperiyar (Aiyer 1929); Dist. Alappuzha: Kerumaadi (Karumadi) (Michaelsen 1910); Dist. Pathanamthitta: Thiruvella (Thiruvalla) (Aiyer 1929); native peregrine.</p> <p> 8. <b> <i>Drawida lennora</i> Gates, 1945</b> </p> <p> <i>Drawida lennora</i> Gates, 1945a: 67.</p> <p> <b>T.</b> Kurnool, (15.83o N, 78.05o E), India. <b>D.</b> Dist. Palakkad: Kanjikode (Kathireswari <i>et al.</i> 2005); native peregrine.</p> <p> 9. <b> <i>Drawida matthaii</i> Michaelsen, 1910</b> <i>Drawida matthaii</i> Michaelsen, 1910: 47 –48.</p> <p> <b>T.</b> Calicut (Kozhikode) (11.258o N, 75.780o E), India. <b>D.</b> Dist. Kozhikode: Calicut (Kozhikode) (Michaelsen 1910); Kerala endemic.</p> <p> 10. <b> <i>Drawida nilamburensis</i> (Bourne, 1894)</b> </p> <p> <i>Moniligaster nilamburensis</i> Bourne, 1894: 362 –363.</p> <p> <i>Drawida nilamburensis</i> (Bourne). Michaelsen 1900: 117.</p> <p> <b>T.</b> Nilambur (11.276o N, 76.225o E), India. <b>D.</b> Dist. Malappuram: Nilambur (Bourne 1894); Kerala endemic. <b>R.</b> Only known from the original description. Blakemore (2007) has located Nilambur in Southeast India while in fact it is in Kerala (Southwest India).</p> <p> 11. <b> <i>Drawida parambikulamana</i> Stephenson, 1915</b> </p> <p> <i>Drawida parambikulamana</i> Stephenson, 1915: 53 –54.</p> <p> <b>T.</b> Parambikulam (10.383o N, 76.708o E), India. <b>D.</b> Dist. Palakkad: Parambikulam (Stephenson 1915); Kerala endemic.</p> <p> 12. <b> <i>Drawida parva</i> (Bourne, 1894)</b> </p> <p> <i>Moniligaster parva</i> Bourne, 1894: 371 –372.</p> <p> <i>Drawida parva</i> (Bourne). Michaelsen 1900: 118.</p> <p> <b>T.</b> Ootacamund (now Udhagamandalam) (11.41o N, 76.7o E), India. <b>D.</b> Dist. Palakkad: Silent Valley National Park (Mohan <i>et al.</i> 2011). <b>R.</b> Near endemic.</p> <p> 13. <b> <i>Drawida pellucida pellucida</i> (Bourne, 1894)</b> </p> <p> <i>Moniligaster pellucida</i> Bourne, 1894: 363.</p> <p> <i>Drawida pellucida</i> (Bourne). Michaelsen 1900: 118.</p> <p> <i>Drawida pellucida</i> f. <i>typica</i> (Bourne). Michaelsen 1910: 48; Stephenson 1923: 150; Aiyer 1929: 48. <i>Drawida pellucida pellucida</i> (Bourne). Blakemore 2007: 7.</p> <p> <b>T.</b> Ootacamund (now Udhagamandalam) (11.41o N, 76.7o E), India. <b>D.</b> Dist. Kollam: Chadayamangalam (ElAmmari <i>et al.</i> 2015), Kottarakkara (ElAmmari <i>et al.</i> 2015), Yeroor (ElAmmari <i>et al.</i> 2015); Dist. Thiruvananthapuram: Ponmudi (Aiyer 1929); native peregrine.</p> <p> 14. <b> <i>Drawida robusta cochinensis</i> Stephenson, 1925</b> </p> <p> <i>Drawida robusta</i> var. <i>cochinensis</i> Stephenson, 1925: 52 –53.</p> <p> <i>Drawida robusta cochinensis</i> Stephenson. Blakemore 2007: 8.</p> <p> <b>T.</b> Chalakudi (Chalakudy) (10.3o N, 76.33o E), India. <b>D.</b> Dist. Thrissur: Chalakudi (Chalakudy) (Stephenson 1925), Kavalai (Stephenson 1925); Kerala endemic. <b>R.</b> Only known from the original description.</p> <p> 15. <b> <i>Drawida sulcata</i> Michaelsen, 1907</b> </p> <p> <i>Drawida sulcata</i> Michaelsen, 1907: 144.</p> <p> <b>T.</b> Coonoor (11.35o N, 76.82o E), India. <b>D.</b> Dist. Palakkad: Silent Valley National Park (Mohan <i>et al.</i> 2011); native peregrine.</p> <p> 16. <b> <i>Drawida travancorensis</i> Michaelsen, 1910</b> </p> <p> <i>Drawida travancorensis</i> Michaelsen, 1910: 46 –47; Aiyer 1929: 49.</p> <p> <b>T.</b> Kottayam (9.58o N, 76.52E), India. <b>D.</b> Dist. Kottayam: Kottayam (Michaelsen 1910); Dist. Kollam: Tenmalai (Thenmala) (Aiyer 1929); Dist. Thiruvananthapuram: Vattiyoorkavu (Nair <i>et al</i>. 2007), Vembayam (Aiyer 1929); Kerala endemic.</p> <p> 17. <b> <i>Moniligaster aiyeri</i> Gates, 1940</b> </p> <p> <i>Moniligaster aiyeri</i> Gates, 1940: 493 –495.</p> <p> <b>T.</b> Muthukkuzhi (somewhere in Kerala-Tamil Nadu border), India. <b>D.</b> Dist. Thiruvananthapuram: Muthukkuzhi (Gates 1940); Kerala endemic. <b>R.</b> Only known from the original description.</p> <p> 18. <b> <i>Moniligaster deshayesi</i> Perrier, 1872</b> <i>Moniligaster deshayesi</i> Perrier, 1872: 130.</p> <p> <i>Moniligaster deshayesi</i> var. <i>minor</i> Michaelsen, 1913: 78; Aiyer 1929: 44; Gates 1940: 504.</p> <p> <b>T.</b> Unknown; Types: Paris Museum (Gates 1940). <b>D.</b> Dist. Kollam: Tenmalai (Thenmala) (Aiyer 1929; Gates 1940); Dist. Thiruvananthapuram: Bonaccord (Bonacaud, Bonakkad) (Michaelsen 1913), Chimungi (Chemmunji) (Michaelsen 1913), Neduvangand (Nedumangad) (Michaelsen 1910); near endemic; Kerala endemic. <b>R.</b> Specimens described from Parambikulam (in Kerala) by Stephenson (1915) do not belong to <i>Moniligaster deshayesi</i> (Gates 1940).</p> <p> 19. <b> <i>Moniligaster gravelyi</i> Stephenson, 1915</b> </p> <p> <i>Moniligaster deshayesi</i> var. <i>gravelyi</i> Stephenson, 1915: 59 –61.</p> <p> <i>Moniligaster gravelyi</i> Stephenson. Gates 1940: 504.</p> <p> <b>T.</b> Trichur (Thrissur) (10.52o N, 76.21o E), India. <b>D.</b> Dist. Thrissur: Kavalai (Stephenson 1925), Trichur (Thrissur) (Stephenson 1915); Kerala endemic. <b>R.</b> Only known from the original description.</p>Published as part of <i>Narayanan, S. Prasanth, Sathrumithra, S., Christopher, G., Thomas, A. P. & Julka, J. M., 2016, Checklist of the earthworms (Oligochaeta) of Kerala, a constituent of Western Ghats biodiversity hotspot, India, pp. 117-137 in Zootaxa 4193 (1)</i> on pages 120-122, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4193.1.5, <a href="http://zenodo.org/record/166646">http://zenodo.org/record/166646</a&gt

Moniligaster horsti Gates 1940

<i>Moniligaster horsti</i> Gates, 1940 <p> <i>Moniligaster horsti</i> Gates, 1940: 506.</p> <p> <b>Brief description.</b> Colour bluish to brownish. Dimensions: 118–206 mm by 8 mm, segments 189–191. Spermathecal pores large transverse slits, slightly median to <i>c</i>, at intersegmental furrow 7/8. Male pores paired, transverse slits, at about mid <i>bc</i>. Gizzards 4, in segments 14–18. Testis sacs in segment 10. Vas deferens coiled into a mass of hairpin loops, mass twice the size of testis sac; vas passes under longitudinal musculature before entering ental end of prostate; prostates ovoid, capsule ovoidal to anvil-shaped. Spermathecal atrial glands in segments 7 and 8, duct of each atrial gland about one fourth the length of common atrial duct, which is longitudinally placed and partially buried in parietes.</p> <p> <b>Material examined.</b> 21 specimens altogether. 1 clitellate and 1 aclitellate (ACESSD /EW/687), evergreen forest, Karimalagopuram in Parambikulam Tiger Reserve (10°21’48”N 76°45’9.3”E), Palakkad District, Kerala, India, 2 August 2016,1153 m a.s.l., S.P. Narayanan, T. Augustine and S. Sathrumithra; 1 aclitellate (ACESSD /EW/707), evergreen forest, Moothassery tribal settlement near Mankulam (10°6’38.1”N 76°54’12.4”E), Idukki District, Kerala, India, 25 October 2011, 860 m a.s.l., J. R. Thomas and T. Augustine; 1 aclitellate (ACESSD /EW/708), disturbed evergreen forest, Ozhuvathadam (10°03’12.2”N 76°50’52.0”E), Idukki District, Kerala, India, 29 August 2016, 1776 m a.s.l., S.P. Narayanan and S. Sathrumithra; 16 aclitellates (ACESSD /EW/711), shola forest, on the way to Bander (=Vanderavu) in Pampadum Shola National Park (10°8’8.5”N, 77°16’10.4”E), Idukki District, Kerala, India, 27 May 2013, 2270 m a.s.l., S.P. Narayanan, A. Sasi, S. Sathrumithra and T. Augustine; 1clitellate (ACESSD / EW/712), shola forest, Mannavanchola in Anamudi Shola National Park (10°10’40.16”N, 77°11’18.01”E), Idukki District, Kerala, India, 14 January 2017, 2175 m a.s.l., A.K. Vijayan, B. Balachandran, A. Sasi and M. Mohan.</p> <p> <b>Distribution.</b> India: Kerala State: Palakkad District: Karimalagopuram in Parambikulam Tiger Reserve; Idukki District: Moothassery, Ozhuvathadam, Pampadum Shola National Park (all present records) (Fig. 4). <i>Elsewhere.</i> Bungitappal in Tamil Nadu (Gates 1940).</p> <p> <b>Remarks.</b> One specimen had six regenerated posterior segments. The species is recorded for the first time from Kerala. It was previously known only from Tamil Nadu (Gates 1940). In Kerala, it is confined to the higher altitude evergreen and shola forests in Idukki and Palakkad districts.</p>Published as part of <i>Narayanan, S. Prasanth, Sathrumithra, S., Anuja, R., Christopher, G., Thomas, A. P. & Julka, J. M., 2021, Three new species and four new species records of earthworms of the genus Moniligaster Perrier, 1872 (Clitellata: Moniligastridae) from Kerala region of the Western Ghats Biodiversity Hotspot, India, pp. 381-397 in Zootaxa 4949 (2)</i> on page 391, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4949.2.11, <a href="http://zenodo.org/record/4636238">http://zenodo.org/record/4636238</a&gt