Metaphire Sims & Easton, 1972

• Male pores (combined with prostatic pores paired) within Copulatory pouches on xviii rarely on xix or xx.
• Female pore single rarely paired in xiv.
• Clitellum annular xiv-xvi.
• Spermathecal pores usually large transverse slits, rarely small paired, occasionally single or multiple between iv/v and ix/x.
• Gizzard between septa vii/viii and ix/x.
• Intestinal caecae present originating in or near xxvii.
• Meronephric, nephridia absent from the spermathecal ducts.
• Prostate gland racemose.
• Copulatory pouches present often with stalked glands; secretory diverticula absent.
• Spermathecae paired rarely single or numerous.
• Setae not crowded ventrally, creeping sole absent, body always cylindrical.
• Metaphire is different from Amynthas by presence of Copulatory pouches and differ from Pheretima by the absence of nephridia from the spermathecal ducts.
• Fifteen species recorded in India viz.,