Bretscher, 1901
Description
Smooth whitish worms. All locomotory chaetae similar, with upper tooth up to twice as long, in anterior bundles by 2-6, in posterior bundles by 1-2, 72-81 µm long. In XI, near male pores, single large sickle-shaped penial chaetae usually hidden inside body, with simple tip, 94-148 µm long and 12-14 µm thick. Abundant large coelomocytes in body cavity, giving the living worm a white colour like in Enchytraeidae. Length 8-10 mm, segment number 38-48. Easily distinguishable when mature, by giant penial chaetae. Uniform locomotory chaetae with long upper tooth are also characteristic, as are the enchytraeid-like white colour and tough body in living individuals.
Burrowing in sediment.
Distribution
Europe, presumably introduced to North America.
Ecology
In freshwater: groundwater, springs, lakes, also wet soil.
Reproduction
Sexual only. Eggs laid in cocoons.
Literature
Bretscher, 1901: 204, Pl. XIV Figs 4-5; Ditlevsen, 1904: 408-409, Pl. XVI Fig. 3-5; Piguet, 1906b: 396, Figs a-c; Brinkhurst and Jamieson, 1971: 546-547, Fig. 8.30H-I; Chekanovskaya, 1981: 300-301, Fig. 145; Hrabe, 1935: 8-11; Hrabe, 1981: 64-65, Pl. 10 Figs 11-12; Kasprzak, 1981: 143, Figs 449-455; Timm et al., 1997: 18-19, Fig. 2.