Microscolex

Belongs within: Acanthodrilidae.

Microscolex is a genus of earthworms most diverse in South America and on sub-Antarctic islands (Michaelsen 1907).

Characters (Michaelsen 1907): Bristles in groups of 8 on each segment. Nephridial pores on each side in a longitudinal line. Male pores on 18th or 17th segment. Prostatic pores in 2 or 1 pairs, on 17th and 19th or only on 17th segment. Seminal vesicles in 2 or 1 (or 3?) pairs, the last ones on the intersegmental groove of segments 8/9. Gizzard rudimentary or absent (at most recognizable as a slight thickening of the intestinal sphincter muscle in sections, scarcely thicker and narrower than adjacent parts of esophagus). 2 pairs of free testes and spermatic cords in 10th and 11th segments.

<==Microscolex
    |--*M. phosphoreus (Dugès 1837) (see below for synonymy)M07
    |--M. anderssoniM07
    |--M. aquarumdulciumM07
    |--M. aucklandicusM07
    |--M. boveiM07
    |--M. campbellianusM07
    |--M. crozetensisM07
    |--M. dubius (Fletcher 1887) (see below for synonymy)M07
    |--M. enzenspergeriM07
    |--M. falclandicusM07
    |--M. georgianus (Michaelsen 1889)J88 [=Notiodrilus georgianusJ88; incl. M. georgianus var. laevisM07]
    |--M. hansiM07
    |--M. kerguelarumM07
    |--M. kerguelenensisM07
    |--M. luisaeM07
    |--M. luykeni [=Notiodrilus luykeni]M07
    |--M. macquariensisM07
    `--M. silvestriM07

Microscolex dubius (Fletcher 1887) [=Eudrilus dubius, Deltania dubia; incl. Microscolex carolinae Eisen 1900, Deltania elegans Eisen 1893, M. elegans, M. poultoni Beddard 1892, Deltania poultoni]^M07

*Microscolex phosphoreus (Dugès 1837) [=Lumbricus phosphoreus, Photodrilus phosphoreus; incl. Microscolex algeriensis Beddard 1892, Deltania benhami Eisen 1894, M. parvus var. carolinianus Eisen 1900, D. troyeri var. crassa Eisen 1896, M. hempeli Frank Smith 1896, M. horsti Michaelsen 1900, Deltania troyeri var. lagunae Eisen 1896, M. modestus Rosa 1887, M. novaezelandiae Beddard 1894, Rhododrilus novaezelandiae, M. parvus Eisen 1900, Deltania troyeri Eisen 1893, M. troyeri]^M07

*Type species of generic name indicated

References

[J88] Jamieson, B. G. M. 1988. On the phylogeny and higher classification of the Oligochaeta. Cladistics 4: 367–402.

[M07] Michaelsen, W. 1907. Oligochaeta. Die Fauna Südwest-Australiens 1 (2): 115–232, 2 pls.