(Grube, 1861)
Description
Large smooth, pink worms. Anterior dorsal bundles with 1-2 smooth hair chaetae, 280-700 µm long, and 3-8 spade-shaped pectinate chaetae, 90-200 µm long; numerous intermediate teeth of the latter as long as ordinary teeth, both fused to form common broad, longitudinally folded blade. Anterior ventral bundles with 3-4 chaetae, 100-230 µm long. Posterior crotchets very thick both in dorsal and ventral bundles, with enlarged, bent lower tooth. In mature individuals, ventral chaetae absent from XI. Spermathecal chaetae in X thin, straight and stick-shaped but with furrow on their distal part, 170-254 µm long. Length 30-70 mm, segment number 85-100. Spade-shaped pectinate chaetae are unique among the freshwater oligochaetes in NWE.
Burrowing in sediment.
Distribution
Palaearctic, incl. North Africa; recorded also from the St. Lawrence River in North America.
Ecology
In fresh and brackish water, especially on sand; avoids soft water.
Reproduction
Sexual only. Eggs laid in cocoons. Cocoons with almost spherical body and two funnel-like appendices.
Literature
Grube, 1861: 152, Pl. IV Fig. 10; Kessler, 1868: 107; Brinkhurst and Jamieson, 1971: 480-481, Fig. 8.8A-F; Chekanovskaya, 1981: 334-335, Figs 166-167; Hrabe, 1981: 93-94, Pl. 16 Fig. 12-17, Pl. 17 Figs 1-7, 22 ; Kasprzak, 1981: 169-170, Figs 628-634; Holmquist, 1985: Fig. 26.