Enchytraeus

Taxobox
name = Genus Enchytraeus
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Annelida
classis = Clitellata
subclassis = Oligochaeta
ordo = Haplotaxida
familia = Megascolecidae
genus = "Enchytraeus"
genus_authority = Henle, 1837
subdivision_ranks = Species
subdivision = 40+, see text

The genus "Enchytraeus" includes about 40 species of annelid worms. The term white worm is often used for all of the species in general, but specifically it is "E. albidus" which is named the white worm. This species is used as fish food by aquarium enthusiasts. "E. buchholzi" is known as the Grindal worm. It was named for the Swedish fish breeder that first raised the worm to feed her fish.

Some species are terrestrial, some semi-aquatic, and others marine. Some can be found in brackish water or on beaches. Several of these species lack sex organs and reproduce by fragmenting, notably "E. fragmentosus", which gets its name from this characteristic.

Species include:
*"Enchytraeus albidus" white worm
*"Enchytraeus buchholzi" Grindal worm
*"Enchytraeus capitatus "
*"Enchytraeus citrinus"
*"Enchytraeus fragmentosus"
*"Enchytraeus japonensis"
*"Enchytraeus kincaidi"
*"Enchytraeus lacteus"
*"Enchytraeus liefdeensis"
*"Enchytraeus minutus"
*"Enchytraeus multiannulatoides"
*"Enchytraeus multiannulatus"
*"Enchytraeus rupus "
*"Enchytraeus saxicola"
*"Enchytraeus variatus"

ee also

External links

* [http://www.trjfas.org/pdf/issue_4_1/05_07.pdf White Worm Devrim Memi et al. The Effect of Different Diets on the White Worm (Enchytraeus albidus Henle, 1837)Reproduction] , Turkish Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 4: 05-07 (2004)