Earthworms of the Central Elburz Mountains, Iran

Abstract

In this study species richness of earthworms in the Central Elburz Mountains is reported for the first time based on samples collected from 33 localities along the Haraz and Chalus rivers. Twelve species were identified representing seven genera from family Lumbricidae (Rafinesque-Schmaltz 1815): Aporrectodea caliginosa (Savigny 1826), A. rosea (Savigny 1826), A. jassyensis (Michaelsen 1891), Dendrobaena byblica complex (Rosa 1893), D. octaedra (Savigny 1826), D. hortensis (Michaelsen 1890), D. veneta (Rosa 1886), Dendrodrilus rubidus (Savigny 1826), Eisenia fetida (Savigny 1826), Eiseniella tetraedra (Savigny 1826), Octolasion lacteum (Orley 1881), Perelia kaznakovi (Michaelsen 1910). All the reported species were common, with Eiseniella tetraedra being dominant in both areas

Keywords

• earthworm
• lumbricidae
• iran
• central elburz mountains