Eiseniella Michaelsen, 1900

Plisko, Jadwiga D. & Nxele, Thembeka C., 2015, An annotated key separating foreign earthworm species from the indigenous South African taxa (Oligochaeta: Acanthodrilidae, Eudrilidae, Glossoscolecidae, Lumbricidae, Megascolecidae, Microchaetidae, Ocnerodrilidae and Tritogeniidae), African Invertebrates 56 (3), pp. 663-663 : 690

Genus Eiseniella Michaelsen, 1900

Only one species E. tetraedra Savigny, 1826 is known from RSA.

Description: Body length 25–75 mm. Colour yellowish brown. First dorsal pore in intersegmental furrow 4/5. Nephropores alternate, irregular between b and d. Male pores in 13 or 14 or 15 with large glandular tumescens. Clitellum on 22, 23–27, at ventral side less developed. Tubercula pubertatis on 24–25. Calciferous glands in 10, as lateral pouches. Excretory system holoic.

Notes: Palearctic origin, known from the whole of Europe and many parts of the world; transported by natural forces, coincidentally or intentionally by humans. Amphibiotic, limicolous. In RSA known from various provinces, mainly from limnic biotopes with high decomposing organic matter ( Jamieson 1967; Plisko 2010). May be found in various moist to saturated soils in areas of natural inland watercourses, or artificial lakes, and other biotopes with decaying organic matter. Transported by natural courses (river flow) or by humans.