Microchaetus, the largest earthworms on Earth

(writing in progress)

The large-bodied earthworms of the southern hemisphere belong to four families, containing many genera.

Present in Madagascar (distinctive family).

https://bioone.org/journals/african-invertebrates/volume-52/issue-2/afin.052.0205/New-and-Little-Known-Giant-Earthworms-from-Madagascar-Oligochaeta/10.5733/afin.052.0205.full

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/230736524_New_and_Little_Known_Giant_Earthworms_from_Madagascar_Oligochaeta_Kynotidae

https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010054266

https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/view/461

https://travel.mongabay.com/madagascar/images/madagascar_192102.html

https://www.reddit.com/r/Vermiculture/comments/i99pfl/gigantic_worm_from_madagascar/

Large earthworms in North America and Australia belong to the family Megascolecidae.

In the USA:

Driloleirus macelfreshi (Oregon giant earthworm), up to 1.3 m long, has a habitat of riparian forest

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/99603-Driloleirus-macelfreshi

Driloleirus americanus (giant palouse earthworm), occurs in Washington state (probably the Columbia River basalt area?). It has a length of up to 3 m, and a width of up to 2.5 cm. Its habitat is indigenous shrublands in eastern Washington state and western Idaho.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giant_Palouse_earthworm

In Australia, Megascolides australis has a diameter of 2 cm, and a length of up to 4 m when stretched.

The largest-bodied of the approximately 1000 spp. of earthworms in Australia is the giant Gippsland earthworm (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giant_Gippsland_earthworm), which has a mean length of 80 cm, and a width of 2 cm. The body is fragile. Hatchlings have a length of 20 cm, and take up to 5 years to reach maturity. The castings are left underground. The distribution of this species is limited to less than 50,000 hectares, in the Bass River valley, east of Melbourne. The habitat is riparian forest.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Megascolecidae

One megascolecid, Amynthas corticis (up to 17 cm long, https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/196395-Amynthas-corticis), is parthenogenetic. It is capable of autotomy, shedding the posterior of the body in order to escape from predators.

Amynthas https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?place_id=any&taxon_id=196397&view=species

The largest earthworms on Earth apparently belong to the genus Microchaetus, in the family Glossoscolecidae (or Microchaetidae). Their bodies are up to about 7 m long. They penetrate the soils to depths of 30-70 cm.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/258343818_A_Systematic_Reassessment_Of_The_Genus_Microchaetus_Rapp_1849_Its_Amended_Definition_Reinstatement_Of_Geogenia_Kinberg_1867_And_Erection_Of_A_New_Genus_Kazimierzus_Oligochaeta_Microchaetidae

https://journals.co.za/doi/abs/10.10520/AJA03040798_288

https://journals.co.za/doi/abs/10.10520/EJC84481

https://journals.co.za/doi/abs/10.10520/AJA03040798_154

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microchaetus_rappi

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/675691-Microchaetus-rappi/browse_photos

https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Microchaetus_microchaetus/classification/

https://journals.co.za/doi/abs/10.10520/EJC84571

https://agris.fao.org/agris-search/search.do?recordID=US201300687836

The giant golden mole (Chrysospalax trevelyani,, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giant_golden_mole) is the largest-bodied chrysochlorid in southern Africa. It is up to 23 cm long. Its distribution is in the Eastern Cape, from East London to southern Pondoland. Its main diet may possibly be Microchaetus.

(writing in progress)

Publicado el 26 de mayo de 2023 por milewski