Nielsen and Christensen, 1959
Description
Small to medium-sized worms. Colour reddish-brown due to red blood, and yellow or brown, oval or broadly spindle-shaped granular coelomocytes and chloragogen cells covering oesophagus from IV. Chaetae by 2-5 in fan-like bundles, in similar numbers dorsally and ventrally, sigmoid, simple-pointed, sharp, with nodulus; missing at male pores. Male pores in XII, clitellum in XII-1/2 XIII. Internal characters: Pharyngeal glands at 4/5 and 5/6 as narrow dorsal lobes, merging above oesophagus, and ventral lobes in VI, rarely also in VII. No pharyngeal, oesophageal or intestinal appendages. Blood red, dorsal vessel reaches backward up to XIII. Spermathecae, with ectal pores in 4/5, are tubular and very long, reaching IX-X or even genital segments, but not connected with oesophagus, without any diverticula or glands. Male funnel short, cylindrical, with much narrower tubular collar. Vas deferens very long and narrow, atrium poorly developed; four large glands attached to every penial bulb. Egg sac poorly developed. Length 12-15 mm, segment number 26-45. Differing from congeners, apart from internal anatomy, in its reddish colour.
Burrowing in sediment.
Distribution
Europe.
Ecology
In wet soil, often also in freshwater near the shore.
Reproduction
Sexual, with eggs laid in cocoons.
Literature
Nielsen and Christensen, 1959: 32-33, Figs 1-2 ; Kasprzak, 1986: 100, Figs 215-216.