(Hrabe, 1935)
Description
Medium-sized smooth pink worms. Anterior dorsal bundles with 2-3 hair chaetae, not more than 300-400 µm long, and 2-4 pectinates with equal main teeth and a few fine intermediate teeth. Anterior ventral chaetae 3-5 per bundle, often with longer upper tooth. The number of chaetae decreasing in posterior segments. No ventral chaetae in XI, at male pores. No modified genital chaetae, no penial sheaths. Clitellum in 1/2 X-XII, spermathecal pores in anterior portion of X. Large coelomocytes present in body cavity. Length 15-20 mm, segment number 52-62. Can be confused with several other tubificids equipped with dorsal hair and pectinate chaetae but devoid of modified genital chaetae. Differing from Ilyodrilus templetoni (also without ventral chaetae in XI) in presence of large coelomocytes and lack of penial sheaths. In comparison with the other Rhyacodrilini (with coelomocytes), both lack of penial chaetae and prostatic tissue on atrium (an internal character) are significant.
Burrowing in sediment.
Distribution
Europe.
Ecology
In freshwater, rare.
Reproduction
Sexual only. Eggs laid in cocoons.
Literature
Hrabe, 1935: 4-8, Figs 1-9; Hrabe, 1981: 65-66, Pl. 10 Fig. 13; Brinkhurst and Jamieson, 1971: 538-539, Fig. 8.28D-G; Chekanovskaya, 1981: 287-288, Fig. 138; Kasprzak, 1981: 150, Figs 492-498.