Jump to content

Enchytraeus

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Enchytraeus
A colony of Enchytraeus worms
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Annelida
Clade: Pleistoannelida
Clade: Sedentaria
Class: Clitellata
Order: Tubificida
Family: Enchytraeidae
Genus: Enchytraeus
Henle, 1837
Species

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:

[edit]