Megascolex Templeton, 1844


  • Male pores in xviii.
  • Female pore in xiv.
  • Spermathecal pores 1-5 pairs between segments iv and ix, lateral to mid-ventral.
  • Single gizzard either in v, vi or vii.
  • Prostate racemose.
  • Penial setae present.
  • Very rare intestinal caecae present.
  • Thirty five species recorded in India viz.,
S. No. Species Type locality Status
1 auriculata Vandiperiyar, Kerala, India Endemic
2 avicula Peermade (Peerumedu), India Endemic
3 cochinensis cochinensis Forest Tramway, Kerala, India Endemic
4 cochinensis phaseolus Parambikulum, Kerala, India Endemic
5 eunephrus Coorloon, Kerala, India Endemic
6 filiciseta Parambikulum, Kerala, India Endemic
7 hendersoni Tiger shola near Kodaikanal, Tamil Nadu, India Endemic
8 imperatrix Lamb’s Rock–Coonoor, Tamil Nadu, India Endemic
9 insignis Trivandrum (Thirvananthapuram), Kerala, India Endemic
10 jamiesoni Jeypore Ghati around 10 km away from Jeypore town, Odisha, India Endemic
11 jeyporeghatiensis Jeypore Ghati around 10 km away from Jeypore town, Odisha, India Endemic
12 kavalaianus Kavalai, Kerala, India Endemic
13 konkanensis North Konkan, Maharashtra, India Endemic
14 konkanensis longus Parambikulum, Kerala, India Endemic
15 lawsoni Ootacamund (Udagamandalam or Ooty), Tamil Nadu, India Endemic
16 papparensis Mannoorkara close to Peppara Wildlife Sanctuary, Kerala, India Endemic
17 peermadensis Peermade (Peerumedu), Kerala, India Endemic
18 pheretima Manakoti, Karnataka, India Endemic
19 polytheca polytheca Kavalai in forest tramway, Kerala, India Endemic
20 polytheca uniquus Kumili, Kerala, India Endemic
21 polytheca zonatus Parambikulum, Kerala, India Endemic
22 porphyrozonus Nandi Hills, Karnataka, India Endemic
23 pumilio Trivandrum, Kerala, India Endemic
24 quadripapillatus Rani Duduma around 25 km away from Semiliguda town, Odisha, India Endemic
25 ratus Coorloon, Kerala, India Endemic
26 travancorensis travancorensis Pallode (Palode), Kerala, India Endemic
27 travancorensis bonaccordensis Bonaccord (Bonacaud, Bonakkad), Kerala, India Endemic
28 travancorensis ghatensis Maddathoray (Madathara), Kerala, India Endemic
29 travancorensis pentagonalis Trivandrum, Kerala, India Endemic
30 travancorensis proboscidea Tenmalai, Kerala, India Endemic
31 travancorensis quilonensis Shasthancottah (Sathamkotta), Kerala, India Endemic
32 triangularis Kavalai, Kerala, India Endemic
33 tripartitus Tirumalai Hills, Andhra Pradesh, India Endemic
34 trivandranus Trivandrum, Kerala, India Endemic
35 vazhichlensis Mannoorkara close to Peppara Wildlife Sanctuary, Kerala, India Endemic
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