Claparède, 1862
Type speciesTrichodrilus allobrogum Claparède, 1862
Number of species 40. Sixteen species known from NWE:
Trichodrilus allobrogum Claparède, 1862
Trichodrilus bonheurensis Giani and Rodriguez, 1994
Trichodrilus cantabrigiensis (Beddard, 1908)
Trichodrilus cernosvitovi Hrabe, 1937a
Trichodrilus claparedei Hrabe, 1938
Trichodrilus diversisetosus Rodriguez and Giani, 1986
Trichodrilus intermedius (Fauvel, 1903)
Trichodrilus hrabei Cook, 1967
Trichodrilus leruthi Hrabe, 1937a
Trichodrilus macroporophorus Hrabe, 1954
Trichodrilus medius Hrabe, 1960
Trichodrilus moravicus Hrabe, 1938
Trichodrilus pragensis Vejdovsky, 1876a
Trichodrilus strandi Hrabe, 1936b
Trichodrilus tatrensis Hrabe, 1937a
Trichodrilus tenuis Hrabe, 1960
Several more species have been recorded from South Europe; some of them can be found in future in NWE, too. Many of the species can be regarded as cryptic, since they are living mostly in groundwater. Since the descriptions of some species are based on single or incomplete specimens, the range of variation of different characters is not always clear. Both synonymization of some taxa as well as discovering of new taxa can be expected. Identification of separate species often requires a scrutiny of different internal organs, representing thus a challenge even for experts in Oligochaeta.
Description
Small to medium-sized, unpigmented lumbriculids. Prostomium usually without proboscis. External secondary annulation well expressed, particularly in anteclitellar segments. Chaetae two per bundle, sigmoid with nodulus, usually simple-pointed but in some species with small parallel upper tooth. Male pores in X (seldom in IX), one or two pairs of spermathecal pores ventrally in subsequent segments. Posterior lateral blood vessels present (sometimes branched) or absent. Two pairs of testes, the second pair in atrial segment. Atria spherical to tubular, penes usually present. Ovaries in post-atrial segment, together with the first or with the single pair of spermathecae. Differing from the other genera in the relative position of the reproductive organs: two pairs of testes, one pair of atria, and spermathecae in 1-2 postatrial segments.
Burrowing in sediment.
Distribution
Western Palaearctic, Eastern Nearctic.
Ecology
In freshwater, particularly in groundwater.
Reproduction
Sexual only. Eggs laid in cocoons.
Literature
Claparède, 1862: 221; Vejdovsky, 1876c: 541; Fauvel, 1903: 221; Cook, 1968: 280; Cook, 1971a: 223-227; Chekanovskaya, 1981: 442; Hrabe, 1981: 105; Kasprzak, 1981: 198.