Eudrilidae
Encyclopedia
Eudrilidae is a family of earthworm
s, mostly of Africa
. One species, Eudrilus eugeniae
(Kinberg, 1867), is widely distributed around the warmer parts of the world and cultured as the "African nightcrawler".
The male pores of eudrilids are in segment 17, as is also typical of Ocnerodrilidae. Eudrilids differ from the family Megascolecidae
and Acanthodrilidae
in having euprostates, i.e., a muscular and possibly glandular development of the vasa deferentia (male ducts from testes) that open to the male pores. Eudrilids further differ from megascolecids, and ocnerodrilids in the development of internal fertilisation
with the equivalent of the spermathecae opening directly to the ovisacs allowing sperm to combine with the eggs from the ovaries via a female opening in segment 14.
Earthworm
Earthworm is the common name for the largest members of Oligochaeta in the phylum Annelida. In classical systems they were placed in the order Opisthopora, on the basis of the male pores opening posterior to the female pores, even though the internal male segments are anterior to the female...
s, mostly of Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
. One species, Eudrilus eugeniae
Eudrilus eugeniae
Eudrilus eugeniae is a species of earthworm native to tropical west Africa and now widespread in warm regions, both wild and under vermicultureandalso called as the african night crawlergrowth:...
(Kinberg, 1867), is widely distributed around the warmer parts of the world and cultured as the "African nightcrawler".
The male pores of eudrilids are in segment 17, as is also typical of Ocnerodrilidae. Eudrilids differ from the family Megascolecidae
Megascolecidae
Megascolecidae is a large family of earthworms which has native representatives in Australia, New Zealand, Southeast and East Asia, and North America. The most ancient lineages of the family show a Gondwanan distribution and have been used as evidence of continental drift. Members of the Pheretima...
and Acanthodrilidae
Acanthodrilidae
Acanthodrilidae is an ancient and widely distributed family of earthworms which has native representatives in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, South America and North America. Interestingly, no native species are known from India nor Asia...
in having euprostates, i.e., a muscular and possibly glandular development of the vasa deferentia (male ducts from testes) that open to the male pores. Eudrilids further differ from megascolecids, and ocnerodrilids in the development of internal fertilisation
Fertilisation
Fertilisation is the fusion of gametes to produce a new organism. In animals, the process involves the fusion of an ovum with a sperm, which eventually leads to the development of an embryo...
with the equivalent of the spermathecae opening directly to the ovisacs allowing sperm to combine with the eggs from the ovaries via a female opening in segment 14.