Rafinesque-Schmaltz, 1815
Type genus Lumbricus Linnaeus, 1758
Number of species about 300, of 25 genera. Five genera with eight species known from freshwater of NWE:
Allolobophora chlorotica (Savigny, 1826)
Aporrectodea caliginosa (Savigny, 1826)
Aporrectodea handlirschi (Rosa, 1897)
Aporrectodea limicola (Michaelsen, 1890)
Eisenia spelaea (Rosa, 1901)
Eiseniella tetraedra (Savigny, 1826)
Helodrilus oculatus Hoffmeister, 1845
Helodrilus patriarchalis (Rosa, 1893)
Jump to the Text Key of this family Page 184: Family Lumbricidae.
Description
True earthworms: oligochaetes with short segments and thick body wall, several millimetres in diameter. Prostomium externally separated from I with intersegmental groove, usually developing tongue-like appendage up to dorsal side of I. Anus terminal. Chaetae two per bundle, sigmoid with simple blunt tip; in limnic species always closely paired. Male pores preclitellar, mostly in XV, usually marked with prominent glandular pads. Ventral chaetae in several segments of genital region can sit on glandular papillae. Female and spermathecal pores also preclitellar but inconspicuous. Clitellum usually saddle-shaped, beginning from XVII or more caudad; somewhat shorter, ridge-like or papillose tubercula pubertatis present along both ventrolateral edges of clitellum. Digestive tube with anteclitellar stomachal dilatations (crop and gizzard) and intramural calciferous glands. Testes in X and XI, ovaries in XIII. Both spermathecae and external spermatophores can occur. Differing from the other lumbricomorph families, represented in NWE, primarily in the position of clitellum far more caudad of male pores. The commonest species can be identified macroscopically, or using a small magnification, on the basis of the position and shape of clitellum, tubercula pubertatis and genital pores. Division of the species into genera is based on various interior anatomical characters which are not very helpful in routine identification work.
Burrowing in soil and sediment.
Distribution
Originally Palaearctic, eastern Nearctic, and northernmost Sino-Indian Region. Introduced to all temperate regions.
Ecology
Mostly in soil. Only a few species leading limnic or amphibious way of life are included in this guide. Many others can accidentally fall into water, too, but they are ignored here, with a single exception.
Reproduction
Sexual only, sometimes parthenogenetic. Eggs laid in cocoons.
Literature
Linnaeus, 1758: 647; Rafinesque-Schmaltz, 1815; Claus, 1880: 478; Plisko, 1973: 54-55; Reynolds, 1977: 34-35; Sims, 1980: 109; Chekanovskaya, 1981: 488-490; Sims and Gerard, 1985: 47.