Kinabalu giant earthworm
| Kinabalu giant earthworm | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Annelida |
| Class: | Clitellata |
| Subclass: | Oligochaeta |
| Order: | Haplotaxida |
| Family: | Megascolecidae |
| Genus: | Pheretima |
| Species: | P. darnleiensis |
| Binomial name | |
| Pheretima darnleiensis Fletcher, 1886 | |
The Kinabalu giant earthworm, Pheretima darnleiensis, is a grey-blue coloured peregrine annelid native to Mount Kinabalu, Borneo and surrounding islands as well as New Guinea. On Mount Kinabalu, the animal grows to a length of approximately 70 cm and lives in burrows in the soft and thick soils around Paka Cave shelter, at an altitude of 3,000 m above sea level. The earthworm's segments are encirled by numerous setae and its skin has a greenish iridescent gloss. Amongst the Kinabalu earthworm's natural predators is another large annelid, the Kinabalu giant red leech. Both animals can only be seen during or after a heavy downpouring of rain.[1][2]
References
- ↑ Blakemore, R.J., C. Csuzdi, M.T. Ito, N. Kaneko, T. Kawaguchi & M. Schilthuizen 2007. Taxonomic status and ecology of Oriental Pheretima darnleiensis (Fletcher, 1886) and other earthworms (Oligochaeta : Megascolecidae) from Mt Kinabalu, Borneo. PDF (16.4 KiB) Zootaxa 1613: 23–44.
- ↑ Phillipps, A. & F. Liew 2000. Globetrotter Visitor's Guide – Kinabalu Park. New Holland Publishers (UK) Ltd.
External links
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