Benhamiinae Michaelsen, 1897 emend. Csuzdi, 1996

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 : 684

Subfamily Benhamiinae Michaelsen, 1897 emend. Csuzdi, 1996

The Benhamiinae subfamily was established by Michaelsen (1897 a) within the Megascolecidae family with no precise definition. Csuzdi (1996) revised and redefined the superfamily Megascolecoidea and defined Megascolecidae and Acanthodrilidae . Further, the Acanthodrilidae was separated into three subfamilies: Acanthodrilinae , Octochaetinae and Benhamiinae (Csuzdi 2010) . Although the taxonomical position of the Benhamiinae is under discussion (Blakemore 2005, 2006, 2010; James & Davidson 2012), it is accepted for the present key confined to species introduced in the soils of RSA. The most distinctive characters of the Benhamiinae are: a presence of the tubular prostates with a central duct, excretory system meroic, and extramural, stalked calciferous glands (2–3 pairs, commencing in or near segment 14). Multiple gizzards may occur.

Subgenus Dichogaster (Diplothecodrilus) Csuzdi, 1996

Description: Body length minute to small (1.5– 60 mm). Setae lumbricinae. Prostomium epilobous. Female pores paired, in 14. Holandric. Excretory system meroic. First dorsal pore in intersegmental furrow 5/6. Spermathecal ampulla subdivided with diverticulum at lower part of ampullae. Male reproductive organs acanthodriline or in the incomplete microscolecine/balantine state.