GOSWAMI and MANDAL: Earthworms of South 24 Parganas with Ecological Notes ISSN 0375-1511681

Rec. zool. Surv. India : 114(Part-4) : 681-686, 2014

EARTHWORMS OF SOUTH 24 PARGANAS WITH ECOLOGICAL NOTES

RINKU GOSWAMI AND C.K. MANDAL Zoological Survey of India, M-Block, New Alipore, Kolkata 700053

INTRODUCTION LIST OF THE EARTHWORMS Earthworms occur in diversifi ed habitats from RECORDED SO FAR IN organic heaps (manure, compost, litter, humus, SOUTH 24 PARGANAS kitchen drainage, etc.) to forest land, grassland, Family ACANTHODRILIDAE agricultural land, plant nursery, etc. They are 1. Pontodrilus bermudensis Beddard, 1891 omnivorous, but most of them derive nutrition from dead organic matter. The benefi cial effect Family MEGASCOLECIDAE of earthworms in increasing soil fertility has been 2. *Amynthas diffringens (Baird, 1869). documented since the time of Darwin (1881). 3. Lampito mauritii Kinberg, 1867 Presently, earthworms are not restricted as a basic biology material but is being established as basic 4. Metaphire houlleti (Perrier, 1872) material for biotechnology (vermitechnology). 5. Metaphire posthuma (Vaillant, 1868), Because of the vast number of species available 6. Perionyx excavatus Perrier, 1872, in India and also because of the economic value, understanding of the distribution, abundance and 7. Polypheretima elongata (Perrier, 1872), ecological condition of the species has become Family OCTOCHAETIDAE very important. 8. Eutyphoeus orientalis (Beddard, 1833), There are more than 4400 species of earthworms in the world, where as in India 560 (Julka et al., 9. Octochaetona beatrix (Beddard, 1902). 2009). From the literature (Halder, 1998) it reveals 10. *Dichogaster bulaui (Michaelsen, 1891), that there are seven species of earthworms in South Family ALMIDAE 24 Parganas namely Pontodrilus bermudensis Beddaed, 1891, Metaphire houlleti (Perrier, 11. *Glyphidrilus tuberosus Stephenson, 1916, 1872) Lampito mauritii Kinberg,1867 Metaphire SYSTEMATIC ACCOUNTS posthuma (Vaillant, 1868), Perionyx excavatus Perrier, 1872, Polypheretima elongata (Perrier, Family ACANTHODRILIDAE 1872), Eutyphoeus orientalis (Beddard, 1833), Genus Pontodrilus Beddard, 1874 Octochaetona beatrix (Beddard, 1902). 1. Pontodrilus bermudensis Beddard, 1891 Authors collected seven species of earthworms 1891 Pontodrilus burmudensis Beddard, Ann. Mag. nat. from south 24 parganas during 2012-2013 survey. Hist., (ser.6), 7: 96. Out of seven species of earthworms, three species *Glyphidrilus tuberosus Stephenson, 1916, Diagnosis: Length within 32-120 mm. *Dichogaster bulaui (Michaelsen, 1891), and Segments 78-125. Prostomium epilobic, tongue *Amynthas diffringens (Baird, 1869) are new in open. Clitellum saddle-shaped within segment the district. XIII-XVII. Genital markings unpaired, median in 19/20, occasionally in 12/13, 13/14 segment. Species marked with asterix (*) are recorded for the fi rst time from the District. Distribution: India: Andaman & Nicobar Island; 682 Rec. zool. Surv. India

Andhra Pradesh; Goa; Kerala; Lakshadweep 4. Metephire posthuma Vaillant, 1868 Islands; Maharashtra; Orissa; Tamil Nadu; West Material examined: 2 exs., Paddy fi eld Budge Bengal. budge, South 24 Parganas; 11.07.2012. Rinku Outside India: Africa, Madagascar, Sri Lanka, Goswami. Maldives, Mayanmar, Vietnam, Indonesia; Diagnosis: Length 60-140 mm, diameter 3-8 Australia, Some Islands in the Pacifi c Ocean; mm. Segments 91-124. Prostomium epilobic. USA; West Indies, South America. Genital markings paired. Female pore single, mid- Remarks: This is a peregrine species inhabiting ventral on XIV segment. Male pores, minute and in mud with organic matter and salt on sea shore invaginate, on XVIII segment. and margins of estuaries and brackish water Distribution: India: Almost all over India. lakes. Outside India: Pakistan; Bangladesh; Family MEGASCOLECIDAE Mayanmar; Thailand; Vietnam; Malay Peninsula; Genus Lampito Kinberg, 1867 Indonesia; Philippines; U.S.A. 2. Lampito mauritii Kinberg, 1867 Genus Perionyx Perrier, 1872 Material: 18 exs., Canal side, Bamanghata, 5. Perionyx excavatus Perrier, 1872 South 24 Parganas; 11.07.2012, Dr. C.K.Mandal; Material examined: 2 exs., Canal side, Registration No. An 3939/1. Bamanghata, South 24 Parganas; 11.07.2012, Dr. Diagnosis: Length 90 –115 mm, diameter 3-5 C.K. Mandal. mm, segments 150 –178. Clitellum annular, dorsal pores present. Digestive system with a single Diagnosis: Length 30 –180 mm, diameter esophageal gizzard in V segment. Male pores 3-7 mm, segments 123-178. Colour deep purple. paired on XVIII. Female pores paired on XIV. Prostomium epilobic, tongue open. Clitellum on XIII- XVII segment. Female pore on segment XIV. Distribution: India: All over India and world. Gizzard absent or rudimentary. Prostrate in XVIII Ecological Notes: Greyish-yellow in living segment. condition; living in top 10 cm of semi-moist Ecological Notes: Colour deep purple to reddish sandy-loam soil, sometimes blackish soil; castings brown dorsally, pale ventrally; castings deposited abundantly available in lawns and grass beds on on the soil surface in the form of short threads or the border line of grassy area and open area, rods, deposited also beneath the surface in compost deposited on the surface of the soil in the form heaps; abundantly available in manure & compost of small heaps of spherical or nearly globular heaps – under logs, bricks, rocks, near water line pellets. with rich organic deposits, canals, swamps, debris Remarks: These worms are reported to the in axel of plantain leaves, just below the surface, utilised as waste conditioners. But survival rate even under rotten leaves and in forks of trees; of this species is very poor in artifi cial culture lives in aquatic plants, soil near water courses, beds. saturated with water from bathrooms, cookhouse, Genus Metaphire Sims and Easton, 1972 dhobi compound, black earth and paddy fi elds. 3. Metaphire houlleti (Perrier, 1872) Distribution: India: Almost all over India. Diagnosis: Length 40-130 mm, diameter 3-5 Outside India: Madagascar and its adjacent mm. Segments 90-120. Genital markings none islands; Sri Lanka; Mayanmar; Thailand; Malay externally. Prostates in XVI-XXIII segment. Peninsula; Indonesia; Philippines; Taiwan; West Castings are scattered or low piles. Indies. Distribution: India: Uttarakhand; West Bengal; Remarks: This species is largely used as waste Meghalaya; Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Uttar conditioner. These worms are also cultured for Pradesh. utilisation as animal protein in poultry and fi sh Outside India: Central America; West Indies. feed. GOSWAMI and MANDAL: Earthworms of South 24 Parganas with Ecological Notes 683

Genus Polypheretima Michaelsen, 1934 Material examined: 2 exs., Reg. No. An 3954/1, 6. Polypheretima elongata (Perrier, 1872) near canal, Budge Budge, South 24 Parganas, 11. 07. 2012, Rinku Goswami. Diagnosis: Length 40-360 mm, diameter 1.5-10 mm, segments 136-297. Prostomium rudimentary. Diagnosis: Length 45-170 mm. Diameter Genital markings transversely elliptical, paired, 3-6 mm. Segment 79-121. Prostomium epibolic, presetal on XIX and successive segments in line tongue open. Clitellum on XIV-XVI segment. with or slightly median to male pores. Female Genital markings small. pore single, mid-ventral, on XIV. Male pores on Distribution: India: Uttarakhand; West Bengal; segment XVIII. Himachal Pradesh; Jammu and Kashmir; Sikkim; Distribution: India: West Bengal; Andaman Tamil Nadu; Uttar Pradesh; Arunachal Pradesh; and Nicobar Islands; Andhra Pradesh; Karnataka; Assam; Karnataka; Manipur; Meghalaya. Madhya Pradesh; Maharashtra; Tamil Nadu Outside India: Africa; Madagascar; Europe; Outside India: Africa; Madagascar; Comoro China; Korea; Japan; Sri Lanka; Nepal; Bhutan; Island; Pakistan; Sri Lanka; Mayanmar; Bangladesh; Mayanmar; Indonesia; Philippines; Bangladesh; Thailand; Malay Peninsula; Hainan; Hong Kong; Taiwan; Australia; New Indonesia; Philippines; Taiwan; Australia; Papua Zealand; Some islands in the Pacifi c Ocean; New Guinea; New Britain; New Caledonia; U.S.A; Central America; West Indies; South Caroline Islands; Ryuku Islands; Hawaii; Tahiti; America. West Indies; South America. Remarks: The species have been recorded fi rst Ecological Notes: Under compost and manure time from South 24 Parganas District. heaps, rubbish, soils-red, black cotton or black taro; castings are found on soil surface in the Family OCTOCHAETIDAE form of cords of about 2 mm thickness and 20 Genus Dichogaster Beddard, 1888. –24 mm in length or in irregular piles of 10-20 8. Dichogaster bolaui (Michaelsen, 1900) mm high and 20-35 mm wide. Economic Importance: In Karnataka, this species was found to have the soil compact. Remarks: The species was originated from the region including Indonesia and Philippines. Genus Amynthas Kinberg, 1867 7. Amynthas diffringens (Baird, 1869)

Dichogaster bolaui Cited from Fauna of India (J.M. Julka, 1988) (Genital markings are shown) Material examined: 2 exs., An 3931, Rose Amynthas diffringens Amynthas diffringens(Vental) garden, Budge Budge, South 24 Parganas. Cited from Fauna of India (J.M. Julka, 1988) 11.07.2012, Rinku Goswami. 684 Rec. zool. Surv. India

Diagnosis: Length 19-23 mm, diameter 1-3mm. Prostomium proepilobous. Tongue closed. Segments 70-98. Prostomium epilobous.Tongue Clitellum on XIII-XVIII. Male pores minute. closed. Clitellum on XIII-XXI. Male pores minute Female pores paired. Genital markings on XVIII segment. absent. Female pores single, median, and presetal. Distribution: India: Uttarakhand; Uttar Genital markings absent. Pradesh; Madhya Pradesh; Arunachal Pradesh; Distribution: India: Uttarakhand; West Bengal; Maharashtra; Gujarat; West Bengal; Karnataka. Andaman and Nicobar Islands; Andhra Pradesh; Outside India: Pakistan; Mayanmar; Malay Himachal Pradesh; Jammu and Kashmir; Sikkim; Tamil Nadu; Uttar Pradesh; Arunachal Pradesh; Peninsula; Philippines Karnataka; Kerala; Assam; Karnataka; Manipur; Ecological Notes: In living condition pale Meghalaya; Goa; Gujarat; Maharashtra; Orissa; grey, clitellum orange; top 5-10 cm of soil littered Sikkim; Rajasthan. with twigs, fl owers and fruity parts of trees; very Outside India: Africa; Madagascar; Europe; moist clay loam below Madder trees; pellet like China; Korea; Japan; Sri Lanka; Nepal; Bhutan; castings. Bangla Desh; Mayanmar; Indonesia; Philippines; Family ALMIDAE Hainan; Hong Kong; Taiwan; Australia; New Genus Glyphidrilus Horst, 1889 Zealand; Some islands in the Pacifi c Ocean; U.S.A; Central America; West Indies; North 11. *Glyphidrilus tuberosus Stephenson, 1916, America; South America; Vietnam; Some Islands of Pacifi c ocean. Genus Eutyphoeus Michaelsen 1900 9. Eutyphoeus orientalis (Beddard, 1833) Material: 2 exs., Garden, Bamanghata,South 24 Parganas, West Bengal. 27.09.2011, Coll. Dr. C.K.Mandal and Rinku Goswami; Registration No. An 3957/1. Diagnosis: Length 130-250 mm, diameter 5-10 mm. Segments 164-220. Clitellum on XIV- XVI segment. Female pore single on left side. Spermathecal pores paired. Pennis short and annular. Female pores paired. Genital markings absent. Distribution: India: West Bengal; Bihar; Uttar Glyphidrilus tuberosus Cited from Fauna of India Pradesh. (J.M. Julka, 1988) (Genital markings are shown) Outside India: Bangladesh. Material examined: 3 exs., Paddy fi eld, Ecological Notes: Dark grey in living condition; Bhangar, West Bengal, 15.08.2012; Coll. Dr. top 15-35 cm of soil; grass bed on soil heaps. C.K. Mandal. Genus Octochaetona Gates, 1862 Diagnosis: Length 60-118 mm, diameter 2.5-3 10. Octochaetona beatrix (Beddard, 1902) mm, Segments 221. Clitellum annular, wings XX- Diagnosis Measurements: length 70-150 mm, XXIV. Genital markings small, circular to elliptical diameter 3-7 mm, segments 131-176. tubercles. Female pores paired on XIV. GOSWAMI and MANDAL: Earthworms of South 24 Parganas with Ecological Notes 685

Remarks: First recorded from South 24 a detail information is needed about the availability Parganas District. of earthworm species their habit, conditions of Distribution: India: Uttarakhand; Uttar Pradesh; living, and nature in a particular area. Madhya Pradesh. Importance of the Work: The present study includes an elaborate information on the habitat Outside India: Mayanmar. condition, colour in living condition, natural Background Information: Most of the size, type of castings, abundance and seasonal earthworms feed decaying organic matter in the soil occurrence of the earthworm fauna in South and after its assimilation in the alimentary canal, 24 Parganas. Moreover, the well-known worm excrete the soil as cast (veremicast) which is rich (Lampito mauritii) has been recorded abundantly in nutrients. This vermicast contains various amino in a particular locality. This locality may serve as acids, minerals and microorganism’s which humify a natural store house for the species. the organic matter in the surrounding soil and act as Results: Three species *Glyphidrilus soil conditioners and bio fertilisers. However, the tuberosus Stephenson, 1916, Dichogaster bulaui capability of decomposing organic matter varies (Michaelsen, 1891), and Amynthas diffringens from species to species. It is very essential to select (Baird, 1869) which are new in this district. Now suitable species of earthworms for the purpose of the total number of species of earthworms of South waste conversion by vermicomposting. Therefore, 24 Parganas is 11. REFERENCES Baird, W. 1869. Description of a new species of earthworm (Megascolex diffringens) found in North Wales. Proceedings of the zoological society of London (1869): 108(Part-30): 40-43. Bandyopadhyay, P.K., Mandal C.K. and Mitra, A.K. 2008. Rec. zool. Surv. India, 108(Part-3): 21-25. Beddard, F.E. 1883. Note on some earthworms from India. Annals and Magazine of Natural history, (5)12: 213-224. Beddard, F.E. 1891. The classifi cation and distribution of earthworms. Proceedings of the Royal Physical Society Edignborough, 10: 235-290. Darwin, C. 1881. The formation of vegetable mould through the action of worms with obser-vations on their habits. Murry, London, 298 pp. Halder, K.R. 1998. Annelida: Oligochaeta : Earthworms, Fauna of West Bengal, State Fauna Series, 3: (Part-10): 17-93. Julka, J.M. 1988. Fauna of India & the adjacent Countries: Megadrile Oligochaeta (earthworms); Haplotaxida: Lumbricina: Megascolecoidea: Octochaetidae, 400 p.p. Zoological Survey of India, Calcutta. Julka, J.M., Paliwal, R. and Kathireswari. P. 2009. Biodiversity of Indian Earthworms-overview. In Proceedings of Indo-Us Workshop on Vermitechnology in Human Welfare, Edwards, C.A., Jayaraj, R. and Jayaraj, I.A. (Eds) Rohini Achagam, Coimbatore, India. 36-56. Kinberg, J. G. H. 1867. Annulata nova. Ofversigt af Kongliga vetenskaps-Akadamiens orhandlingar. 23: 97-103. Michaelsen, W. 1891. Oligochaeta des Naturhistorischen Museums in hamburg. IV. Jahrbuch der Hamburgischen Wissenschaftlichen anstalten, Hamburg, 8: 3-42. Michaelsen, W. 1900. Oligochaeta. Liferung 10. Berlin: R. Friedlander, I-XXIX +1-575. 686 Rec. zool. Surv. India

Perrier, P. 1872. Recherches pour server α’ I’histoire des lombriciens terrestres. Nauvelles archives de Museum d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris, 8: 5-198. Sinha, R.K. 2009. Earthworms: the miracle of nature (Charles Darwin’s unheralded soldiers of mankind & farmer’s friend’). Environmentalist, 29: 339-340. Stephenson, J. 1916. On a collection of Oligochaeta belonging to the Indian Museum. Records of the Indian Museum, 12: 299-354. Stephenson, J. 1923. The Fauna of British India including Ceylon and Mayanmar. Taylor & Francis, 518 pp. Vaillant, L. 1868. Note sur I’anatomie de deuxe speces du genre Perichaeta et essai de classifi cation des Annelides Lombricines. Annales des Sciences Naturelles, 10: 225-256.

Manuscript Received : 5th May, 2014; Accepted : 18th December, 2014.