Cook, 1968
Type genus Dorydrilus Piguet, 1913
One single genus with 3 species. All three species known from NWE:
Dorydrilus michaelseni Piguet, 1913
Dorydrilus mirabilis Hrabe, 1936a
Dorydrilus tetrathecus Hrabe, 1960
Jump to the Text Key of this family Page 181: Family Dorydrilidae.
Description
A small group of oligochaetes, externally very similar to some Lumbriculidae (particularly the genus Trichodrilus), with two simple-pointed sigmoid chaetae per bundle. Differing from the latter only in the anatomy of reproductive system: male duct lies always in the segment subsequent to the one containing single pair of testes and male funnels, like in the Tubificidae, Enchytraeidae and most other oligochaetes (plesioporous type of male duct). Testes in IX, male gonoducts and pores in X, ovaria in X, spermathecal pores in X and/or XI. Spermathecae with well-distinguished, roundish or ovoid ampullae and long narrow ducts. It is unknown whether the plesioporous male duct of Dorydrilus has evolved by simplification of the complete prosoporous male duct of Lumbriculidae (with two pairs of vasa deferentia), or whether it is in the original evolutional condition. In the last case, the great similarity between Dorydrilidae and Lumbriculidae in all other characters may be convergent. For the sake of convenience, both families are treated as members of the order Lumbriculida in this guide.
Burrowing in sediment.
Distribution
Europe.
Ecology
In freshwater, mainly in groundwater.
Reproduction
Sexual only. Eggs laid in cocoons.
Literature
Piguet, 1913: 141; Cook, 1968: 284, Fig. 3; Brinkhurst and Jamieson, 1971: 647-648; Kasprzak, 1981: 184-185.