Eiseniella tetraedra (Savigny)
Recognition
A large, thick-bodied aquatic worm with a thick clitellum on segments 22 through 27 or
maybe a couple less until fully mature.
The body beyond the clitellum is fairly square.
Like all lumbricids, there is a well-formed gizzard at the beginning of the intestine.
Summary
This is a small earthworm, being just about big enough to get on a fish hook,
which makes it one our biggest aquatic oligochaetes.
Montana specimens frequently reach about 45 mm long and about 2 mm wide.
Distribution
It is a widespread species, at least in North America.
24 DEC 1996 D.L. Gustafson
AIM home page
dlg@rivers.oscs.montana.edu