Megascolex
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Megascolex | ||||||||||
Templeton , 1844 |
Megascolex (from the Greek μέγας mégas "large" and σκώληξ skṓlēx "worm") is a genus of little bristles from the family of Megascolecidae (giantearthworms) in the order of Crassiclitellata (earthworms in the broader sense), of which over a hundred species are describedin the tropics with a focus on Asia .
features
The giant earthworms of the genus Megascolex have cylindrical bodies that can reach lengths from several centimeters to over a meter. A row of numerous bristles runs around each segment, each of which is interrupted by a center line on the stomach and back. The intestinal canal has a chewing stomach in front of the 7th segment and has no blind sacs. The nephridia are diffuse cluster-shaped.
The clitellum always comprises more than three segments. The two male genitals of the hermaphrodites are located on the abdomen on the 18th segment, the unpaired female genitals on the 14th segment. There are 1 to 5 pairs of receptacula seminis , the exits of which are located on the side to the middle of the abdomen between the 4th and 9th segment. Penis bristles are provided.
Development cycle
Like all girdle worms , the giant earthworms of the genus Megascolex are hermaphrodites and reproduce sexually through mutual copulation, with the sperm of the respective sex partner being stored in the receptacula seminis . With the help of the short clitellum , cocoons are formed, in which both mothers lay their eggs and inseminate them with the sperm of their sex partner. The embryos develop into finished earthworms in the cocoon.
Habitat and way of life
The Megascolex -Regenwürmer as other Crassiclitellaten soil inhabitants and substrate eaters which digest the organic components of the ingested substrate.
Sample species and their distribution
The first species to be described by Robert Templeton in 1844 was the species Megascolex caeruleus , native to the lowland rainforests of Sri Lanka , which, with lengths of up to one meter, is one of the very large earthworm species and is striking due to its blue color.
species
The following species have been described in the genus Megascolex , of which 33 species have so far been recorded in India alone :
- Megascolex acanthodriloides Michaelsen, 1897
- Megascolex adami Michaelsen, 1910
- Megascolex affinis Beddard, 1883
- Megascolex albanyensis Michaelsen, 1907
- Megascolex albidus Beddard, 1895
- Megascolex albidus Jackson, 1931
- Megascolex andersoni Spencer, 1902
- Megascolex animae K. Lee, 1959
- Megascolex annandalei Stephenson, 1913
- Megascolex annulatus Horst, 1883
- Megascolex antarctica Baird, 1873
- Megascolex armatus Horst, 1893
- Megascolex auriculata Aiyer, 1929
- Megascolex avicula Aiyer, 1929
- Megascolex bifoveatus Stephenson, 1913
- Megascolex bistichus Michaelsen, 1907
- Megascolex burniensis Jamieson, 1974
- Megascolex caeruleus Templeton, 1844 ( Sri Lanka )
- Megascolex campester Stephenson, 1915
- Megascolex capensis Horst, 1883
- Megascolex celmisiae Jamieson, 1973
- Megascolex cingulatus Beddard, 1892
- Megascolex cochinensis Stephenson, 1915
- Megascolex coeruleus Bourne, 1891
- Megascolex colliensis Michaelsen, 1907
- Megascolex collinus Michaelsen, 1907
- Megascolex crateroides Boardman, 1943
- Megascolex curgensis Michaelsen, 1926
- Megascolex curtus Stephenson, 1913
- Megascolex diffringens Baird, 1869
- Megascolex escherichi Michaelsen, 1910
- Megascolex eunephrus Cognetti, 1911
- Megascolex fardyi Spencer, 1902
- Megascolex filieiseta Stephenson, 1915
- Megascolex fletcheri Michaelsen, 1907
- Megascolex fumigatus Michaelsen, 1903
- Megascolex funis Michaelsen, 1897
- Megascolex fuseus Michaelsen, 1918
- Megascolex galei Michaelsen, 1907
- Megascolex harveyensis Michaelsen, 1907
- Megascolex hendersoni Michaelsen, 1907
- Megascolex heterochaetus Michaelsen, 1918
- Megascolex horai Stephenson, 1922
- Megascolex hortenensis Stephenson, 1915
- Megascolex illidgei Spencer, 1900
- Megascolex imparicystis Michaelsen, 1907
- Megascolex indicus Horst, 1883
- Megascolex inermis Stephenson, 1933
- Megascolex insignis Michaelsen, 1910
- Megascolex iris Michaelsen, 1892
- Megascolex japonicus Horst, 1883
- Megascolex jenolanensis Boardman, 1943
- Megascolex kavalaianus Stephenson, 1915
- Megascolex kempi Stephenson, 1915
- Megascolex konkanensis Fedarb, 1898
- Megascolex kumiliensis Aiyer, 1929
- Megascolex laingii Benham, 1903
- Megascolex larpentensis Spencer, 1902
- Megascolex lineatus Hutton, 1877
- Megascolex lobulatus Spencer, 1902
- Megascolex longicystis Nicholls & Jackson, 1927
- Megascolex longiseta Michaelsen, 1907
- Megascolex lorenri Rosa, 1894
- Megascolex margaritaceus Michaelsen, 1892
- Megascolex mazarredi Rosa, 1894
- Megascolex mediaevicie Michaelsen, 1907
- Megascolex mekonianus Cognetti, 1922
- Megascolex minor Spencer, 1900
- Megascolex monostichus Michaelsen, 1907
- Megascolex montanus Spencer, 1900
- Megascolex monticola Beddard, 1895
- Megascolex montisathuri Jamieson, 1974
- Megascolex mortenseni Michaelsen, 1924
- Megascolex multispinus Michaelsen, 1897
- Megascolex musica Horst, 1883
- Megascolex novaecaledoniae Michaelsen, 1913
- Megascolex novae-zelandiae Lee, 1952
- Megascolex nureliyensis Michaelsen, 1897
- Megascolex oneilli Stephenson, 1914
- Megascolex paranellus Gates, 1945
- Megascolex parvus Michaelsen, 1918
- Megascolex pattipolensis Stephenson, 1913
- Megascolex peermadensis Aiyer, 1929
- Megascolex pentagonalis Stephenson, 1916
- Megascolex peranellus Gates, 1945
- Megascolex pharetratus Rosa, 1894
- Megascolex phaseolus Stephenson, 1915
- Megascolex pictus Michaelsen, 1892
- Megascolex polytheca Stephenson, 1915
- Megascolex porphyrizonas Stephenson, 1924
- Megascolex pritchardi Spencer, 1902
- Megascolex pumilio Stephenson, 1916
- Megascolex purpurascens Michaelsen, 1907
- Megascolex quintus Stephenson, 1913
- Megascolex ratus Cognetti, 1911
- Megascolex robustus Vaillant, 1889
- Megascolex rodwayi Stephenson, 1931
- Megascolex sanctae-helenae Baird, 1873
- Megascolex sarasinorum Michaelsen, 1897
- Megascolex schmardae Horst, 1883
- Megascolex sextus Stephenson, 1913
- Megascolex Sieboldi Horst, 1883
- Megascolex simplex
- Megascolex singhalensis Michaelsen, 1897
- Megascolex spectabilis Michaelsen, 1910
- Megascolex sumatranus Horst, 1883
- Megascolex swarbricki Nicholls & Jackson, 1927
- Megascolex sylvestris Hutton, 1877
- Megascolex sylvicola
- Megascolex syndetoporus Jackson, 1931
- Megascolex templetonianus Rosa, 1892
- Megascolex tenax Beddard, 1895
- Megascolex terangiensis Spencer, 1900
- Megascolex tisdalli Spencer, 1902
- Megascolex torbayensis Michaelsen, 1907
- Megascolex travancorense Michaelsen, 1910
- Megascolex travancorensis
- Megascolex trivandranus Stephenson, 1916
- Megascolex varians Michaelsen, 1897
- Megascolex whistleri Michaelsen, 1907
- Megascolex wiburdi Boardman, 1943
- Megascolex willeyi Michaelsen, 1909
- Megascolex zeitri Michaelsen, 1907
- Megascolex zietri
- Megascolex zietzi Michaelsen, 1907
- Megascolex zygochaetus Michaelsen, 1897
literature
- Robert Templeton (1844): Description of Megascolex caeruleus. Proceedings of Zoological Society London 12, pp. 89-91.
- R. Horst (1893): Earthworms from the Malayan Archipelago. In: Max Wilhelm Carl Weber (Ed.): Zoological results of a trip in Dutch East India 3, pp. 28–83, here p. 70. EJ Brill, Leiden 1893.
- Samrendra Singh Thakur, Shweta Yadav (2018): Exploration of Earthworms of India through Online Digital Library. Provisional chapter. P. 43, 5.5.5. Megascolex Beddard, 1895. doi : 10.5772 / intechopen.75666 .