Enchytraeidae
family of annelids
Enchytraeidae is a family of microdrile oligochaetes. They resemble small earthworms and include both terrestrial species known as potworms that live in highly organic terrestrial environments, as well as some that are marine. More than 700 species in about 30 genera have been described worldwide, although the true diversity of the family is thought to be much higher. Most species are small, whitish or transparent worms only a few millimetres long that feed on decaying organic matter and the microorganisms colonizing it, making them important contributors to decomposition and nutrient cycling in soils. The peculiar genus Mesenchytraeus is known as "ice worms", as they spend the majority of their lives within glaciers, only rising to the surface at certain points in the summer. Enchytraeidae also includes the Grindal worm (Enchytraeus buchholzi), which is commercially bred as aquarium fish food. Certain varieties of Enchytraeidae are partially responsible for the notorious "dark earth" archaeological layers in post-Roman Era British urban centers such as London.
Genera
Enchytraeidae contains the following genera:
Achaeta Vejdovský, 1878
Aspidodrilus Baylis, 1914
Barbidrilus Loden & Locy, 1980
Bryodrilus Ude, 1892
Buchholzia Michaelsen, 1886
Cernosvitoviella Nielsen & Christensen, 1959
Genus Christensenidrilus Dózsa-Farkas & Convey, 1998
Claparedrilus Klinth, Rota & Erséus, 2017
Cognettia Nielsen & Christensen, 1959
Decimodrilus Dózsa-Farkas, Nagy, Felföldi & Hong, 2019
Enchylea Nielsen & Christensen, 1963
Enchytraeina von Bülow, 1957
Enchytraeus Henle, 1837
Enchytronia Nielsen & Christensen, 1959
Euenchytraeus Bretscher, 1906
Fridericia Michaelsen, 1889
Globulidrilus Christensen & Dózsa-Farkas, 2012
Grania Southern, 1913
Guaranidrilus Černosvitov, 1937
Hemienchytraeus Černosvitov, 1934
Hemifridericia Nielsen & Christensen, 1959
Henlea Michaelsen, 1889
Isosetosa Xu, D-M. Zhang & J-M. Jiang, 1989
Lumbricillus Ørsted, 1844
Marionina Michaelsen in Pfeffer, 1890
Mesenchytraeus Eisen, 1878
Neoenchytraeus Eisen, 1878
Oconnorella Rota, 1995
Paralumbricillus Klinth & Rota, 2024 in Klinth et al, 2024
Pelmatodrilus J.P. Moore, 1943
Randidrilus Coates & Erséus, 1985
Sinenchytraeus Liang & Hsü, 1979
Stephensoniella Cernosvitov, 1934
Stercutus Michaelsen, 1888
Tupidrilus Righi, 1974
Xetadrilus Schmelz, Collado & Römbke, 2011
References
World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) (2008): Enchytraeidae. Version of 2010-MAY-11. Retrieved 2011-FEB-06.
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