Species | Ecological category | Ecological niche | Characteristic features | Beneficial trait |
---|---|---|---|---|
Eisenia foetida, | Epigeics | Superficial soil layers, leaf litter, compost | Smaller in size, body uniformly pigmented, active gizzard, short life cycle, high reproduction rate and regeneration, tolerant to disturbance, phytophagous | Efficient bio-degraders and nutrient releasers, efficient compost producers, aids in litter comminution and early decomposition |
Lumbricus rubellus, | Â | Â | Â | Â |
L. castaneus, | Â | Â | Â | Â |
L. festivus, | Â | Â | Â | Â |
Eiseniella tetraedra, | Â | Â | Â | Â |
Bimastus minusculus, | Â | Â | Â | Â |
B. eiseni, | Â | Â | Â | Â |
Dendrodrilus rubidus, | Â | Â | Â | Â |
Dendrobaena veneta, | Â | Â | Â | Â |
D. octaedra | Â | Â | Â | Â |
Aporrectodea caliginosa, | Endogeics | Topsoil or subsoil | Small to large sized worms, weakly pigmented, life cycle of medium duration, moderately tolerant to disturbance, geophagous | Brings about pronounced changes in soil physical structure, can efficiently utilize energy from poor soils hence can be used for soil improvements |
A. trapezoides, | Â | Â | Â | Â |
A. rosea, | Â | Â | Â | Â |
Millsonia anomala, | Â | Â | Â | Â |
Octolasion cyaneum, | Polyhumic endogeic | Top soil (A1) | Small size, unpigmented, forms horizontal burrows, rich soil feeder | Â |
O. lacteum, | Â | Â | Â | Â |
Pontoscolex corethrurus, | Mesohumic endogeic | A and B horizon | Medium size, unpigmented, forms extensive horizontal burrows, bulk (A1) soil feeder | Â |
Allolobophora chlorotica, | Â | Â | Â | Â |
Aminthas sp. | Oligohumic endogeic | B and C horizon | Very large in size, unpigmented, forms extensive horizontal burrows, feeds on poor, deep soils | Â |
L. terrestris, | Anecics | Permanent deep burrows in soil | Large in size, dorsally pigmented, forms extensive, deep, vertical permanent burrows, low reproductive rate, sensitive to disturbance, phytogeophagous, nocturnal | Forms vertical burrows affecting air-water relationship and movement from deep layers to surface helps in efficient mixing of nutrients |
L. polyphemus, | Â | Â | Â | Â |
A. longa | Â | Â | Â | Â |