Enchytraeidae Explained

Enchytraeidae is a family of microdrile oligochaetes. They resemble small earthworms and include both terrestrial species known as potworms that live in highly organic terrestrial environments, as well as some that are marine.^[1] The peculiar genus Mesenchytraeus is known as "ice worms", as they spend the majority of their lives within glaciers, only rising to the surface at certain points in the summer.^{[2] [3]} Enchytraeidae also includes the Grindal worm (Enchytraeus buchholzi), which is commercially bred as aquarium fish food.^[4] Certain varieties of Enchytraeidae are partially responsible for the notorious "dark earth" archaeological layers in post-Roman Era British urban centers such as London.^[5]

Selected genera

Enchytraeidae genera include:^[6]

• Achaeta Vejdovský, 1878
• Archienchytraeus Eisen, 1878 (nomen dubium)
• Buchholzia Michaelsen, 1886
• Cernosvitoviella Nielsen & Christensen, 1959
• Christensenidrilus Dózsa-Farkas & Convey, 1998 (= Christensenia Dózsa-Farkas & Convey, 1997 (non Brinck 1945: preoccupied))
• Cognettia Nielsen & Christensen, 1959
• Enchytraeina Bülow, 1957
• Enchytraeus Henle, 1837
• Enchytronia Nielsen & Christensen, 1959
• Epitelphusa Drago, 1887
• Fridericia Michaelsen, 1889
• Globulidrilus Christensen & Dózsa-Farkas, 2012
• Grania Southern, 1913
• Hemifridericia Nielsen & Christensen, 1949
• Henlea Michaelsen, 1889 (= Henleanella)
• Lumbricillus Ørsted, 1844 (= Enchytraeoides, Pachydrilus)
• Marionina Michaelsen in Pfeffer, 1890 (= Marionia Michaelsen, 1889 (non Vayssière, 1877: preoccupied), Michaelsena, Parenchytraeus)
• Mesenchytraeus Eisen, 1878 – ice worms
• Neoenchytraeus Eisen, 1878
• Randidrilus Coates & Erséus, 1985
• Stephensoniella Cernosvitov, 1934

References

• (2008): Enchytraeidae. Version of 2010-MAY-11. Retrieved 2011-FEB-06.

Notes and References

1. Book: Burgers, A. . Soil Biology . 2012-12-02 . Elsevier . 978-0-323-14658-6 . en.
2. Hartzell . Paula L. . Nghiem . Jefferson V. . Richio . Kristina J. . Shain . Daniel H. . 2011-02-15 . Distribution and phylogeny of glacier ice worms (Mesenchytraeus solifugus and Mesenchytraeus solifugus rainierensis) . Canadian Journal of Zoology . 83 . 9 . 1206–1213 . en . 10.1139/z05-116. subscription .
3. Shain . Daniel H. . Mason . Tarin A. . Farrell . Angela H. . Michalewicz . Lisa A. . 2001 . Distribution and behavior of ice worms (Mesenchytraeus solifugus) in south-central Alaska . Canadian Journal of Zoology . 79 . 10 . 1813–1821 . 10.1139/cjz-79-10-1813 . 1480-3283. subscription .
4. Bouguenec . V. . 1992-03-15 . Oligochaetes (Tubificidae and Enchytraeidae) as food in fish rearing: a review and preliminary tests . Aquaculture . en . 102 . 3 . 201–217 . 10.1016/0044-8486(92)90149-F . 0044-8486. subscription .
5. Yule . Brian . The ‘dark earth’ and late Roman London . Antiquity . September 1990 . 64 . 244 . 625–626 . 10.1017/S0003598X00078546 . 15 November 2025 . en . 0003-598X. subscription .
6. Web site: WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species - Enchytraeidae d'Udekem, 1855 . 2023-03-10 . www.marinespecies.org.