Sorry, there are no multimedia or other resources available for this species yet.

General Information

COMMON NAMES: earthworm GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION: NATIVE China?; EXOTIC Circumtropical, inc. Samoa, Tonga COOK ISLANDS STATUS: Introduced - Recent, Naturalised; S.Group (RR - common; ?Outer Islands); Land, volcanic lowlands; Clay loam soils KEY FEATURES: Common on Rarotonga in clay/loams SIMILAR SPECIES: Amynthas

Cook Islands Distribution

View Distribution Map

Southern Group: Present    Makatea:
RR	MG	AT	MK	MT	AK	PL	TK	MN
++++

Northern Group:
TN	MH	RK	PK	NS	SW
			Q++

Metaphire californica (Kinberg, 1867)
SYNONYMS: Pheretima californica [0]; Pheretima modesta; Pheretima molesta

TAXONOMY: ANIMALIA; ANNELIDA; OLIGOCHAETA; Haplotaxid; Lumbricina; MEGASCOLECIDAE

IDENTIFICATION: Size 50-130 X 3-5 mm. Pigmented: dark brown/yellow with iridescence. Clitellum slate 14-16. Setae numerous per segment. First dorsal pore 11/12. Female pore single on 14. Male pores in pouches, or protruding on 18. Genital markings absent. Spermathecal pores 2 pairs in 6/7/8. Gizzard in 8, intestinal caeca simple from 27. Spermathecal diverticula coiled. Has vigorous lashing behaviour when disturbed.

GENERAL NOTE: Biparental so not much polymorphism. Reported to have limited regeneration potential. Stated to be geophagous but often occurs in gardens where there is rich organic matter.

Vouchers:
Rarotonga: specimen, 12/2002, ID Rob Blakemore. Pukapuka: fieldspecimen+photo, 2/2004, G.McCormack with ID as Metaphire californica.

References:
Special Reference: Easton, E.G (1984) Earthworms (Oligochaeta) from islands of the south-western Pacific, and a note on two species from Papua New Guniea . N.Z J. Zool., 11:111-128.

Data Update History (information):
zB02, zD02

Web Resources

• Google
• Google Images