Eudrilus eugeniae Kinberg 1867

Aspe, Nonillon M., Manasan, Rafael Ethan, Manlavi, Albert B., Patiluna, Ma. Lotus E., Sebido, Maria Asela B., Obusan, Marie Christine M., Simbahan, Jessica F. & James, Samuel W., 2021, The earthworm fauna of Palawan, Philippines with description of nineteen new pheretimoid species (Clitellata: Megascolecidae), Journal of Natural History 55 (11 - 12), pp. 733-797 : 738

Eudrilus eugeniae Kinberg 1867

Diagnosis

Body length 90–185 mm, tapering posteriorly, becoming thinly flattened at terminal end. Width 4–8 mm. Segments 161–211. Red-brown dorsum fading posteriorly; anterior with bright blue/green iridescent sheen from cuticle diffraction, ventrum beige, clitellum darker (sometimes lighter) than surroundings. Prostosmium small, open epilobous. Dorsal pores, absent. Eight setae per segment from segment 2, closely paired. Clitellum covers segments 13, 14, 15–18, usually 13, 14–18, and interrupted ventrally. Male pores in 17 on tips of longitudinally grooved, tapering, eversible penis in large ventral chambers. Female pores combined with modified ‘spermathecal pores’, lateral, presetal in 14 as raised intrasegmental openings. Genital markings on 17 between male pores, faintly repeated in 18. Weakly muscular gizzard in v. Calciferous glands in x and xi. Intestine originates in or around xiv. Caeca absent. Male organs holandric with two large, unpaired sacs seen ventrally in x and xi, each contains a testis anteriorly and funnels posteriorly. Large pair of digitiform euprostates, with white muscular sheen from xviii extending to xxiii; acutely muscular enlargements of loop of paired sperm ducts which attach to apex of copulatory bursae mound centrally.

Remarks

This species is popularly known as the African nightcrawler, native to tropical West Africa and now widespread in warm regions. Being highy adaptable to a wide range of environmental conditions and able to grow and reproduce fast (through parthenogenesis), this species is popularly used in vermicomposting in countries including the Philippines and India. The Western Philippines University in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan, has been culturing the African nightcrawler for agricultural purposes.