Tools for identifying Australian aquatic oligochaetes of the families Phreodrilidae, Lumbriculidae and Capilloventridae (Clitellata: Annelida)

Abstract

Keys are provided to three families of aquatic Oligochaeta: Phreodrilidae, Lumbriculidae and Capilloventridae. There are currently 32 described phreodrilids known from Australia, out of 54 described worldwide, but there are at least 17 more undescribed. Three of the five described capilloventrids are known only from south-eastern Australia. There are only two species of Lumbriculidae in Australia, both of which are believed to be recent introductions.