New data to the earthworm fauna of Israel (Oligochaeta, Lumbricidae)

Elaborating several smaller earthworm samples collected in different parts of Israel resulted in recording 20 earthworm species including Bimastos parvus (Eisen, 1874) a North American peregrine which represents new record for the country. Three other species; Dendrobaena nevoi Csuzdi & Pavlíček, 1999, Healyella jordanis (Csuzdi & Pavlíček, 1999)and Perelia shamsi Csuzdi & Pavlíček, 2005 were first recorded after their original descriptions. The present list of lumbricidearthworms recorded for Israel is raised to 28

The earthworm fauna of the Karancs-Medves Landscape Protection Area (Oligochaeta, Lumbricidae)

Researches carried out in the Karancs-Medves Landscape Protection Area resulted in recording altogether eighteenearthworm species and subspecies, of which the Central European montane Fitzingeria platyura montana (Černosvitov, 1932)reaches its westernmost distribution in the Karancs Mts. in Hungary. Using the recent and literature data, a hierarchical clusteranalysis was carried out to reveal the zoogeographical relations of the Hungarian mountain regions

Aspects of the ecology of the earthworm Eisenia lucens (Waga 1857) studied in the field and in laboratory culture

This work relates data from field sampling of Eisenia lucens and from laboratory-based culture. Field sampling used soil sorting and vermifuge extraction and took place in beech-dominated forests of southwest Poland. Initial work derived population estimates from four sub-communities of the forest looking for seasonal dynamics and later work employed targeted sampling in summer within rotting wood to obtain live specimens for laboratory culture. A preliminary examination within and below rotten wood during winter was also undertaken. In the laboratory, clitellate earthworms were kept at 20 °C, the substrate changed every 6 months, and the population examined. Cocoons were incubated individually at 15 °C, with number of hatchlings per cocoon and the mass of each determined. Hatchlings were grown at 15 °C in field-collected wood and compared with growth in a 1:1 volume ratio of wood and horse manure. Further hatchlings were fed with horse manure only (at 10 °C) and after 19 weeks, half were transferred to 15 °C. In the field, mature individuals varied significantly (p < 0.01) in biomass between 2 sampling sites where found, with an overall mean density across sites of 4.14 ± 3.53 m with a mean biomass of 2.21 ± 1.93 g m . Numbers in soil varied over the sampling period, with a suggestion that this species moves from mineral soil to organic-rich dead wood as conditions permit. In summer, all life stages were recovered from rotting wood above the mineral soil. Sampling in winter found cocoons in rotting wood below snow. These hatched rapidly (within 2 weeks) when taken to the laboratory. Laboratory culture allowed maintenance of a population for 2 years. Mean cocoon mass was 50.6 mg with a mean of 2.9 hatchlings per cocoon and hatchling mass was inversely proportional to number per cocoon. Growth with 50% horse manure was significantly greater (p < 0.001) than with wood. Increased temperature from 10 to 15 °C brought more significantly (p < 0.05) rapid growth. To culture this species through its life cycle, a natural substrate is needed, but then it is necessary to acclimate the animals to something more easily obtainable. More work is needed from field sampling to fully understand the seasonal dynamics of this species, which utilises different parts of the soil profile throughout the year

New earthworm records from the former Yugoslav countries (Oligochaeta, Lumbricidae)

A rich earthworm material from different countries of the former Yugoslavia has been elaborated. Altogether 39 species and subspecies are reported including six new records. Aporrectodea cemernicensis proved to be new to the fauna of Serbia, Eisenia spelaea to Bosnia-Herzegovina, Aporrectodea sineporis is new to Croatia and Denrobaena hrabei to Macedonia. Dendrobaena cognettii represents a new record to the fauna of Croatia and Macedonia. Dendrodrilus rubidus subrubicundus is new to the fauna of Montenegro

Contribution to the knowledge of the earthworm fauna of Turkey with description of three new species (Clitellata: Megadrili)

PubMedID: 30313691During a recent survey, 29 earthworm species were collected from different parts of Turkey, 27 of which belong to the family Lumbricidae, one to Acanthodrilidae and one to Megascolecidae. Dendrobaena proved to be the most speciose genus with 12 recorded species including two species new to science, Dendrobaena pavliceki and Dendrobaena taurica spp. nov. In addition a third new species was also found belonging to the East Mediterranean genus Healyella: Healyella zicsii sp. nov. From the species recorded earlier for Turkey, D. fridericae uludagi Omodeo & Rota, 1991 and He. boluana Omodeo & Rota, 1989 were found for the first time since the original description. With these new records the number of earthworm species recorded for Turkey is raised to 84. Copyright © 2018 Magnolia Press.K100369 Hungarian Scientific Research FundThis research was supported by the Hungarian Scientific Research Fund (OTKA K100369)

Phylogeny of the Eisenia nordenskioldi complex based on mitochondrial genomes

Eisenia nordenskioldi is an earthworm widespread in Northern Asia and adjacent regions. It is known for its hig

New acanthodrilid species from Madagascar (Clitellata, Acanthodrilidae)

During collecting trips to Madagascar in the last decade several Acanthodrilidae sensu lato species were collected. The newly acquired material expresses high variability of the excretory system containing meroic, holoic vesiculate and holoic avesiculate species. The possible relationships of the Malagasy acanthodrilids is discussed and five species; Acanthodrilus hesperus, Eodriloides metandricus, Howascolex proprioporus, Howascolex vohimanus and Vazimbascolex alaotranus spp. n. are described. Vazimbascolex gen. n. represents also a new genus to science. The holoic avesiculate Acanthodrilus majungianus Michaelsen, 1897 and A. voeltzkowi Michaelsen, 1897 are conditionally transferred to the South African genus Eodriloides Zicsi, 1998; Eodrilus dauphinianus Michaelsen, 1910 and Microscolex (Notiodrilus) hyalochaeta Michaelsen, 1907 to Howascolex Michaelsen, 1901

Data to the earthworm fauna of Myanmar with notes on some little known species (Annelida, Oligochaeta)

The earthworm fauna of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar (Burma) is quite well studied due to the studious works of Gordon E. Gates. However, after the publication of the comprehensive monograph Burmese earthworms (Gates 1972) there has been no new data published from this country. In the last year the last author collected several earthworm samples from Burma, resulting in 7 species records belonging to the families Moniligastridae, Benhamiidae, Octochaetidae and Megascolecidae including some little known species like Tonoscolex depressus (Gates, 1929) and Eutyphoeus constrictus Gates, 1929. Examination of the E. constrictus specimens revealed that they show different states of metandry, they are morphologically very similar to E. hastatus Gates, 1929, and only differ by the functionality of the testes in segment 10, therefore it should be regarded as a synonym of E. constrictus