New British Earthworms

Further records of non-cryptic New Zealand earthworms

Current descriptions add natives Aporodrilus aoteasp. n., Aporodrilus pongasp. n. and Notoscolex repangasp. n., plus new exotic records to the numbers of megadrile earthworms known from New Zealand, which are now raised from 193 to 222 species in five families, viz: Acanthodrilidae, Octochaetidae and Megascolecidae, plus Lumbricidae and Glossoscolecidae for exotics. Overlooked spermathecal dive...

Two new Korean earthworms (Annelida, Oligochaeta, Megadrilacea, Megascolecidae)

Two Korean endemic pheretimoid Amynthas Kinberg, 1867 species belonging in family Megascolecidae s. stricto are sketched, dissected and described. Amynthas daeari Blakemore sp. n. has spermathecae in 6/7/8 complying with an Amynthas tokioensis spp-group, whilst Amynthas jinburi Blakemore sp. n. has spermathecal pores in 5 & 6 strictly complying with Sims and Easton's (1972)Amynthas canaliculatu...

Earthworms and Soil Pollutants

Although the toxicity of metal contaminated soils has been assessed with various bioassays, more information is needed about the biochemical responses, which may help to elucidate the mechanisms involved in metal toxicity. We previously reported that the earthworm, Eisenia fetida, accumulates cadmium in its seminal vesicles. The bio-accumulative ability of earthworms is well known, and thus the...

Collagen of the Earthworms

The problem of the complex configuration of the collagen in the Oligochaeta has not yet been conclusively solved. Since the last century, evidence has been found of a fibrous structure lying above the epidermis (constituting the cuticle) and of another one lying below it (constituting the supporting structures). The cuticle, easily examined by physical and chemical methods, was analyzed minutel...

Earthworms and Vermiculture Biotechnology