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The World of Protozoa, Rotifera, Nematoda and Oligochaeta

Ref ID : 5791

Kathryn A. Coates; Redescriptions of Aspidodrilus and Pelmatodrilus, enchytraeids (Annelida, Oligochaeta) ectocommensal on earthworms. Can.J.Zool. 68:498-505, 1990

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Two ectocommensal enchytraeids living on earthworms, Aspidodrilus kelsalli Baylis, 1914 and Pelmatodrilus planariformis Moore, 1943, are both redescribed and confirmed to be valid enchytraeid taxa. Aspidodrilus eburneensis Baer, 1952 is a junior synonym of Aspidodrilus kelsalli. It is proposed that Aspidodrilus is phylogenetically near Henlea, whereas Pelmatodrilus is near the Enchytraeinae (Enchytraeus, Lumbricillus, and related genera). Thus, the two genera have evolved similar body forms and ectocommensal habits convergently.