Trichodrilus leruthi

Hrabe, 1937a

Description
Middle-sized worms. Prostomium short, roundish. External secondary annulation weakly expressed. Chaetae two per bundle, sigmoid with nodulus, simple-pointed, 135-198 µm long, comparatively shorter in foremost segments and in dorsal bundles. Male pores in X, spermathecal pores in XI and XII. Pharyngeal glands in (III)IV-V (VII). Chloragogen tissue on oesophagus beginning from (VII) VIII. Posterior transversal vessels 1-3 pairs per segment, not branched. Atria consisting of short tubular, heavily muscular ampulla, terminating in large, bulbous penes about twice as short as atrial ampulla. Two pairs of spermathecae, with pyriform ampulla and relatively long duct. Length more than 20 mm, body diameter up to 0.85 mm, segment number can be more than 81. Differing from congeners mostly in the combination of the internal characters.
Burrowing in sediment.

Distribution
Belgium.

Ecology
In freshwater, groundwater.

Reproduction
Sexual only. Eggs laid in cocoons.

Literature
Hrabe, 1937a: 6-14, Figs 2-5; Cook, 1971a: 230-231, Fig. 5.12B; Kasprzak, 1981: 202-203, Figs 810-812.

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