- For the plant genus from the sunflower family (Asteraceae), see Oligochaeta (plant). A genus (plural genera from Γένος Latin genus "descent family type gender" is a low-level Taxonomic The family Asteraceae or Compositae (known as the aster, daisy, or sunflower family) is the largest family of Flowering Oligochaeta is a genus of four species and forms the Rhaponticum group of about 40 species along with Rhaponticum (25 species
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Oligochaeta (singular Oligochaete, pronounced /ˈɒlɪgoʊkiːt/) is a subclass in the biological phylum Annelida and includes various earthworms. Earthworm is the usual name for the largest members of Oligochaeta (which is either a class or subclass depending on the author in the phylum Annelida In classical Lumbricus terrestris (L is a large reddish Worm native to Europe, but now also widely distributed elsewhere around the world (along with several The annelids, collectively called Annelida (from Latin anellus "little ring" are a large phylum of Animals comprising Clitellata is a class of Annelid Worms characterized by having a Clitellum - the 'collar' that forms a reproductive cocoon during part of This article is about the taxonomic rank for the sequence of species in a taxonomic list see Taxonomic order In scientific classification used The Haplotaxida is one of two orders within the subclass Oligochaeta, the other being the Lumbriculida it is also related with the earthworm The lumbriculida is one of two orders within the subclass Oligochaeta, the other being the Haplotaxida A phylum ( Plural: phyla) is a Taxonomic rank between Kingdom and above Class. The annelids, collectively called Annelida (from Latin anellus "little ring" are a large phylum of Animals comprising Earthworm is the usual name for the largest members of Oligochaeta (which is either a class or subclass depending on the author in the phylum Annelida In classical Specifically, it contains the terrestrial megadrile earthworms (some of which are semi- or fully aquatic), and freshwater or semi-terrestrial microdrile forms including the tubificids, pot worms and ice worms (Enchytraeidae), blackworms (Lumbriculidae) and several interstitial marine worms. Earthworm is the usual name for the largest members of Oligochaeta (which is either a class or subclass depending on the author in the phylum Annelida In classical The Enchytraeidae (See Enchytraeus) are a Microdrile oligochaete family and include both terrestrial species known as potworms that live Ice worm refers to any of a number of species of worm that live in glacial ice, such as Mesenchytraeus solifugus, M The Enchytraeidae (See Enchytraeus) are a Microdrile oligochaete family and include both terrestrial species known as potworms that live Lumbriculus variegatus, sometimes known as blackworm (or even California blackworm) is a type of Oligochaete that lives in shallow water The Lumbriculidae are a family of Microdrile Oligochaetes common in fresh-water environments including streams lakes marshes wells and ground-water
These worms usually have few setae (chaetae) or "bristles", and lack a parapodia, unlike polychaeta. Seta (plural setae) is a biological term derived from the Latin word for " Bristle " Parapodia ( Gr para, beyond or beside + podia, feet singular parapodium, are paired un-jointed Lateral outgrowths The Polychaeta or polychaetes are a class of Annelid worms generally marine
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Common characteristics
Oligochaeta are well-segmented annelids and most have a spacious body cavity (coelom) that is used as a hydroskeleton. The annelids, collectively called Annelida (from Latin anellus "little ring" are a large phylum of Animals comprising By the broadest definition a body cavity is any fluid filled space in a Multicellular organism. A hydrostatic skeleton or hydroskeleton is a structure found in many Cold-blooded organisms and soft-bodied animals consisting of a fluid-filled cavity the Coelom Their length ranges from a few centimetres up to 2-3 metres such as the Australian native giant Gippsland earthworm. The giant Gippsland earthworm, Megascolides australis, is one of Australia 's 1000 native Earthworm Species. Unlike Polychaetes, Oligochaetes do not have parapodia (appendages used for locomotion) or sensory appendages on their prostomium (the most anterior segment of the head). The Polychaeta or polychaetes are a class of Annelid worms generally marine Oligochaetes have four bundles of chaete per segment (two lateral, one lateroventral, and one dorsoventral). Each bundle of chaete consists of 1 to 25 individual chaete. The Oligochaetes can extend or retract their chaete by protractor and retractor muscles. Generally, when the longitudinal muscles of the worm are contracted, the chaete are retracted, and when the circular muscles are contracted, the chaete are extended. Chaete action permits grasping of soil during peristaltic burrowing. Most Oligochaetes are detritus feeders, some genera are predaceous e. g. (Agriodrilus and Phagodrilus).
Life cycle
Earthworms are hermaphrodites, which means that each animal has both male and female reproductive organs. A hermaphrodite is an organism having both male and female reproductive organs They have external fertilization (except for some members of the African family Eudrilidae), but copulate and store sperm in a receptacle called a spermatheca. Eudrilid Earthworms are African earthworms with one species Eudrilus eugeniae (Kinberg 1867 widely distributed around the warmer parts of the world The term sperm is derived from the Greek word (σπέρμα sperma (meaning "seed" and refers to the male reproductive cells. The spermatheca (plural spermathecae) is an organ of the female reproductive tract in Insects some Mollusks and certain other Invertebrates Like leeches, they have a clitellum which secretes a "cocoon" or capsule into which both eggs and sperm are deposited and acts as an incubator for the embryonic worms. Leeches are Annelids comprising the Subclass Hirudinea. There are freshwater terrestrial and marine leeches In Earthworms and some other Annelids, the clitellum is a thickened Glandular section of the body wall that secretes a Viscid sac in which the The cocoon is deposited in the soil. On hatching, the young worms resemble small adults and grow continually until they reach maturity. They lack a trochophore larval stage. A trochophore (ˈtrɒkəfɔər also spelled trocophore) is a type of marine Larva with several bands of Cilia.
Native earthworm species are often eradicated from natural areas as people clear native vegetation and introduced species become more dominant in these disturbed habitats. Introduced earthworms are most common in disturbed environments such as suburban gardens and farmland paddocks.
Families
The following list of Oligochaeta families follows ICZN convention so that family-group name (ending in -idae) is followed by authorship and date. "ICZN" redirects here It is also sometimes used for the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature in error
- Randiellidae Erséus & Strehlow, 1986
- Tubificidae Vejdovsky, 1884 (including Naidinae Ehrenberg, 1831)
- Narapidae Righi, 1983
- Opistocystidae, Cernosvitov 1936
- Dorydrilidae Cook, 1971
- Parvidrilidae Erséus, 1999
- Phreodrilidae Beddard, 1891
- Propappidae Coates, 1986
- Haplotaxidae Michaelsen, 1900
- Tiguassuidae Brinkhurst, 1988
- Lumbriculidae Vejdovsky, 1884
- Enchytraeidae Vejdovsky, 1879
- Moniligastridae Claus, 1880
- Alluroididae Michaelsen, 1900
- Syngenodrilidae Smith and Green, 1919
- Glossoscolecidae Michaelsen, 1900
- Tumakidae Righi, 1995
- Ailoscolecidae Bouché, 1969 (including Komarekionidae Gates, 1974)
- Sparganophilidae Michaelsen, 1918
- Microchaetidae Michaelsen, 1900
- Lumbricidae Claus, 1876 (including Diporodrilinae Bouché, 1970; Eiseniinae Omodeo, 1956; Spermophorodrilinae Omodeo & Rota, 1989; Postandrilinae Qiu & Bouché, 1998; Allolobophorinae Kvavadze, 2000 and Helodrilinae Kvavadze, 2000)
- Kynotidae - Brinkhurst & Jamieson, 1971
- Hormogastridae Michaelsen, 1900 (including Vignysinae Bouché, 1970 and Xaninae Diaz Cosin et al. The Enchytraeidae (See Enchytraeus) are a Microdrile oligochaete family and include both terrestrial species known as potworms that live Glossoscolecidae is a large family of Earthworms which has native representatives in South and Central America Sparganophilus, the only genus in the family Sparganophilidae is a group of long slender limicolous (mud-dwelling Earthworms native to North America The Lumbricidae is a family of Earthworms which includes most of the earthworm species well-known to Europeans , 1989)
- Lutodrilidae McMahan, 1978
- Criodrilidae Vejdovsky, 1884 (including Biwadrilidae Brinkhurst & Jamieson, 1971)
- Almidae Duboscq, 1902
- Ocnerodrilidae Beddard, 1891 (including Malabariinae Gates, 1966)
- Acanthodrilidae Claus, 1880 (including Diplocardiinae Michaelsen, 1900)
- Octochaetidae Michaelsen, 1900 (including Benhamiinae Michaelsen, 1895/7)
- Exxidae Blakemore, 2000
- Megascolecidae Rosa, 1891 (including Pontodrilinae Vejdovsky, 1884; Plutellinae Vejdovsky, 1884 and Argilophilinae Fender & McKey-Fender, 1990)
- Eudrilidae Claus, 1880. The family Criodrilidae is represented by genera Criodrilus and Biwadrilus that are limicolous (mud-dwelling and/or aquatic Earthworms The animal family Almidae includes about six genera of segmented worms. Acanthodrilidae is an ancient and widely distributed family of Earthworms which has native representatives in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa Megascolecidae is a large family of Earthworms which has native representatives in Australia, New Zealand, Southeast and East Asia and Eudrilid Earthworms are African earthworms with one species Eudrilus eugeniae (Kinberg 1867 widely distributed around the warmer parts of the world
Bibliography
- Blakemore, R. J. (2005). Whither Octochaetidae? – its family status reviewed. In: Advances in Earthworm Taxonomy II. Eds. A. A. & V. V. Pop. Proceedings IOTM2, Cluj University Press. Romania. Pp. 63-84. http://www.oligochaeta.org/ITOM2/IOTM2.htm.
- Blakemore, R. J. (2006). Revised Key to Earthworm Families (Ch. 9). In: A Series of Searchable Texts on Earthworm Biodiversity, Ecology and Systematics from Various Regions of the World – 2nd Edition (2006). Eds. : N. Kaneko & M. T. Ito. COE Soil Ecology Research Group, Yokohama National University, Japan. CD-ROM Publication. Website: http://bio-eco.eis.ynu.ac.jp/eng/database/earthworm/.
- Erséus, C. and Källersjö, M. (2003). 18S rDNA phylogeny of basal groups of Clitellata (Annelida). Zoologica Scripta: 33(2): 187-196.
- Jamieson, B. G. M. , Tillier, S. , Tillier, A. , Justine, J. -L. , Ling, E. , James, S. , McDonald, K. and Hugall, A. F. (2002). Phylogeny of the Megascolecidae and Crassiclitellata (Annelida, Oligochaeta): combined versus partitioned analysis using nuclear (28S) and mitochondrial(12S, 16S) rDNA. Zoosystema 24(4): 707-734.
- Michaelsen, W. (1900). Das Tierreich 10: Vermes, Oligochaeta. Friedländer & Sohn, Berlin. Pp. xxix+575, figs. 1-13. Online here: http://mail2web.com/cgi-bin/redir.asp?lid=0&newsite=http://www.archive.org/details/oligochaeta10mich.
- Siddall, M. E. , Apakupakul, K, Burreson, E. M. , Coates, K. A. , Erséus, C, Gelder, S. R. , Källersjö, M, & Trapido-Rosenthal, H. (2001). Validating Livanow's Hypothesis: Molecular Data Agree that Leeches, Branchiobdellidans and Acanthobdella peledina form a Monophyletic Group of Oligochaetes. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 21: 346-351. http://research.amnh.org/~siddall/pub/livanow.pdf.
- Stephenson, J. (1930). The Oligochaeta. Clarendon Press, Oxford. Pp. 978.
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