New earthworm records from the Caspian Hyrcanian Forests of Iran (Oligochaeta: Megadrili).

Earthworms are the most important soil invertebrates worldwide, in terms of biomass and effects on soil processes. In this study, 21 earthworm species, including four new records were identified from Caspian Hyrcanian Forests (North of Iran). Four species; Criodrilus lacuum, Lumbricus rubellus, Metaphire californica, and Octodrilus transpadanus and the family Criodrilidae are reported for the first time.

Reproduction of Limnatis paluda (Tennent 1859) in laboratory conditions.

The reproductive functions of Limnatis paluda were studied in laboratory conditions including imposing of two thermal conditions (T: 18 ± 2 °C and T: 26 ± 2 °C) and with there being placement of three bedding substrates (tile, moss, and stone) in the containers specimens were confined. Furthermore, values for reproductive variables of cocoons and hatchlings were recorded. With the T treatment, gravid adults had cocoon depositions, whereas those when there was imposing of the T treatment did not have cocoon depositions.

Integrative taxonomy of some Iranian peregrine earthworm species using morphology and barcoding (Annelida: Megadrili).

Despite the biological and economic importance of earthworms, the taxonomic status and evolutionary relationships of most lumbricid genera are still under debate. Further complications arise from the recognition that earthworms also show a high cryptic diversity. Past and current field studies of Iranian earthworm fauna have resulted in the identification of a total number of 28 earthworm species.

Comparative studies on reproductive traits of natural populations of Eisenia andrei Bouché, 1972 from Zagros Mountain, Iran (Annelida: Oligochaeta).

Comparative studies were carried out on growth and reproduction patterns of eight populations of Eisenia andrei (Bouché, 1972) from different parts of western Iran along the Zagros Mountains, considered to lie within the natural range of this species. Parameters were gain in body weight, number of cocoon production, hatching success, number of hatchlings, hatchlings growth and survival. There were significant differences in mean numbers of viable cocoons, incubation time, reproductive rate, growth rate and final weight between different populations.

Resurrection of the earthworm species Dendrobaena fedtschenkoi (Michaelsen, 1900), a former synonym of Dendrobaena byblica (Rosa, 1893) (Clitellata: Megadrili).

Dendrobaena byblica (Rosa, 1893) is a Circum-Mediterranean earthworm species complex containing more than a dozen synonymous names. From these, only two species have been resurrected so far, D. ganglbaueri (Rosa, 1894) and Fitzingeria annectens (Rosa, 1895).

Review of the Eisenia muganiensis (Michaelsen, 1910) species group with description of two new species (Oligochaeta: Lumbricidae).

The Eisenia muganiensis species group is established, consisting of a set of Asian earthworm species characterized by elongate, backward placed clitellum and tubercles: Eisenia malevici Perel, 1962; Eisenia muganiensis (Michaelsen, 1910); Eisenia patriciae Szederjesi, Pavlíček, Coşkun & Csuzdi, 2014 and Eisenia transcaucasica (Perel, 1967). The species are shortly reviewed and furthermore, two new species of the E. muganiensis group are described, E.

Cadmium and lead accumulation in three endogeic earthworm species.

The objective of this study was to assess the capability of earthworms from the same ecological group as heavy metal bioindicators. Three earthworm species from the endogeic group were studied: Aporrectodea caliginosa (Savigny, 1826), Perelia kaznakovi (Michaelsen, 1910) and Octolasion lacteum (Örley, 1885). Their accumulation of the heavy metals lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) were studied from three stations in Tehran province, Iran.