Claparède, 1862
Description
Middle-sized or small yellow worms. Prostomium prolonged, conical. External secondary annulation, with shorter anterior ring, well expressed. Chaetae two per bundle, sigmoid with nodulus, simple-pointed. Male pores in X, spermathecal pores in XI and XII. Pharyngeal glands reaching to VII or VIII. Posterior transversal vessels simple or with small blind appendages, 3-6 pairs per segment. The second pair of vasa deferentia pierces 10/11 and returns then into X. Atria consisting of pyriform ampulla and indistinct short efferent duct. Penes small. Two pairs of spermathecae with oval ampulla and distinct short duct. Length 20-40 mm when alive, 12-15 mm in fixed condition; segment number about 70-110. Differing from congeners mostly in the combination of the internal characters.
Burrowing in sediment.
Distribution
Europe, North America(?).
Ecology
In freshwater, the most frequently recorded representative of the genus.
Reproduction
Sexual only. Eggs laid in cocoons.
Literature
Claparède, 1862: 267; Piguet and Bretscher, 1913: 157; Beddard, 1920: 227-239; Michaelsen, 1933: 15-18, Figs 3-4; Hrabe, 1954: 186-187, Figs 5-7; Hrabe, 1960: 264-267, Figs 20-21; Hrabe, 1981: 105-106, Pl. 19, Figs 1-2; Cook, 1967: 363-364, Fig. 7a; Cook, 1971a: 227, 228-229, 229-230, Figs 5.11A,F-G; Chekanovskaya, 1981: 442; Kasprzak, 1981: 204, Figs 819-821; Rodriguez and Giani, 1994: 49.