23. Dichogaster bolaui (Michaelsen, 1891)

1891. Benhamia bolaui Michaelsen, Jb. Hamb. Wiss. Anst., 8: 9. 1900. Dichogaster bolaui: Michaelsen, Tierreich, 10: 340.

Material examined: 1 ex. Regn. No. IV/ANN/NERC-05. India, Meghalaya,WKHDistrict, Nongpyndeng, Nongstoiñ, N25 o 30’38.1”; E91 o 14’25.5”; Alt. 1382m, 26.vi.2010, coll. I.J.Kharkongor and party ; 3 ex. Regn. No. IV/ANN/ NERC-06. India, Meghalaya, WKH District, Umlieh, Phud Umlieh, N25 o 32’13.7”; E91 o 22’18.3”; Alt. 1573m, 25.vi.2010, coll. I.J.Kharkongor and party ; 1 ex. Regn. No. IV/ANN/ NERC-11. India, Meghalaya, WKH District, Pamphyrnai, N25 o 32’19.5”; E91 o 20’57.0”; Alt. 1556m, 25.vi.2010, coll. I.J.Kharkongor and party ; 2 ex. Regn. No. IV/ANN/NERC-24. India, Meghalaya, WKH District, Mawthar village, near Puiñsneiñ stream, N25 o 28’05.0”; E91 o 15’39.0”; Alt. 1407m, 24.vi.2010, coll. I.J.Kharkongor and party; 2 ex. Regn. No. IV /ANN/NERC-35 . India, Meghalaya, WKH District, banks of Riangdo river, Mawshynrut village, N25 o 40’41.8”; E91 o 03’15.8”; Alt. 913m, 22.vi.2010, coll. I.J.Kharkongor and party; 1 ex. Regn. No. IV /ANN/ NERC-50 . India, Meghalaya, WKH District, on way to Nongstoiñ from Markasa, N25 o 31’51.0”; E91 o 22’58.5”; Alt. 1514m, 25.vi.2010, coll. I.J.Kharkongor and party.

Diagnosis: Length 20-40. Segments 81-95. Epilobic. Lumbricine; setae closely paired. Dorsal pores from 5/6. Spermathecal pores paired in furrows 7/8/9. Clitellum 13-18 or 14-18, 19 or 20, with the intersegmental furrows obliterated. Female pore single and median, in 14. Male pores paired, in slightly concave grooves, on 18.

Gizzard in 7 and 8. Ovaries paired in 13.

Distribution: INDIA: Meghalaya (EKHD, WGHD, WKHD), Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. Elsewhere: Africa, Australia, Bangladesh, China, Finland, Germany, Hainan, Indonesia, Islands of the Pacific Ocean, Japan, Madagascar and its adjacent islands, Malay Peninsula, Myanmar, North America, Pakistan, Philippines, South America, Sri Lanka, Vietnam and West Indies.

Remarks: An epi-endogeic species with a wide range of climatic and edaphic tolerance. Csuzdi et. al. (2008) has defined it as the first domicole earthworm species for its ability to invade and thrive in urban dwellings. This adaptation makes it a good candidate for use in sewage treatment and waste management processes. Recorded, herein, for the first time from WKHD.