Eastern range record of the semiaquatic freshwater earthworm Glyphidrilus gangeticus Gates, 1958 (Clitellata: Crassiclitellata: Almidae) from West Bengal, India, with a brief key to the Indian species of the genus
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.11609/jott.8978.18.5.28838-28844Keywords:
Almidae, first record, freshwater biodiversity, Ganga River, identification key, Mahananda River, semiaquatic earthwormsAbstract
The semi-aquatic earthworm genus Glyphidrilus is poorly documented in West Bengal, India, with only one species previously recorded. To fill this distribution gap, we surveyed riverbanks of the Mahananda River (West Bengal) and Ganga River (Bihar). Earthworms were collected by hand sorting from wet soil and mud during low-water conditions in 2021 and 2024, preserved in 4% formalin, and identified using morphological characters under a stereomicroscope. We report the first record of Glyphidrilus gangeticus Gates, 1958 from West Bengal, extending its known range eastward from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. Additionally, we provide a revised identification key to all seven Indian species of Glyphidrilus (annandalei, elegans, fluviatilis, gangeticus, papillatus, spelaeotes, and tuberosus) based on literature and newly examined material. This discovery increases the number of Glyphidrilus species known from West Bengal to two and highlights the need for further surveys of semi-aquatic habitats in the Gangetic plains. The improved key will aid future biodiversity assessments and conservation planning.
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