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Luminous Earthworms
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Springbrook's giant earthworms
04-11-2005
The giant brown earthworm, "grunters" as they are commonly named here ( during
heavy rainfall the worms come close to the surface and when the ground is walked on they
emit a grunting sound ). As far as I can assess they belong to
( class.Oligochaetes order.Haplotaxida )
digaster sp.
This juvenile specimen measured 510mm.
Some mature specimens found here are over 1 metre in body length.click the image for a larger view |
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16-02-2008
The extremely wet weather has started the appearance of our giant earthworms above ground.At this time only juveniles are evident.
click the image for a larger view |
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Closeup shot of the head. click the image for a larger view |
30-10-2005
An above ground chance find of a damaged juvenile giant cream earthworm ( no pic available
and species unknown), of 300mm body length here at Springbrook Research Centre last night
after a period of prolonged rainfall revealed that at least one variety of our local giant
earthworms have bioluminescent properties.
The worm was found on a track where it had been run over by a vehicle. The resulting patch
of bioluminescent fluid covered an area of approximately 0.25m square and was brilliant
yellow/green in colour. Contact with the fluid resulted in a glowing hand for almost 20
minutes. Will be looking for an intact specimen in the same area of the find.
This area is widely and constantly cultivated by our local bush turkeys and lyrebirds,
which is probably why specimens have not been found before.
Oligochaeta
The Australian endemic earthworms (Oligochaeta) are considered by Jamieson (1981)
likely to be derived from successive Gondwanan invasions which were then followed by
prolific speciation. These speciation events took place largely in the family
Megascolecidae.
In contrast, an almost negligible endemic fauna has apparently been derived from
post-Miocene (<10 m.y.a.) invasion from the Oriental region (Jamieson, 1981).
The “MacPherson-Macleay Overlap”, which broadly encompasses the Central Eastern
Rainforest Reserves of Australia, ( CERRA ) region, is characterized by a diverse
earthworm fauna. Complex faunistic patterns of superimposed colonization episodes are
associated with the development of rainforest on Tertiary (70–1 m.y.a.) lava flows
from the Main Range and Tweed Shield Volcano.
Genera such as Digaster and Plutellus exhibit their greatest diversity in the overlap zone
(Werren & Kershaw, 1991).
Dyne (in Werren & Kershaw, 1991) indicates that approximately 120 oligochaete species
and 17 genera are presently known from Australian rainforests but that this is likely to
represent a small fraction of the actual diversity.
A number of endemic megascolecid species from the MacPherson Ranges are weakly to very
brightly bioluminescent (e.g., Spenceriella curtisi, S. cormieri, Fletcherodrilus
unicus) (Jamieson & Wampler, 1979).
This bioluminescence originates from a biochemical reaction in exuded fluid.
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Bioluminescent earthworm. Specimen sent from Rutherglen in Victoria.
click the image for a larger view
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| Name: Rob Blakemore
Subject: Worm from Rutherglen
Message: Hello,
Your luminescent worm from Rutherglen is most likely Microscolex phosphoreus
(Dugès, 1837) described in my CD book: Blakemore, R. (2002). Cosmopolitan Earthworms - an
Eco-Taxonomic Guide to the Peregrine Species of the World . VermEcology, Kippax, ACT.
Distribution: Cosmopolitan, e.g. Asia, India, Pakistan, Turkey, Middle
East (e.g. Israel Gates, 1972: 36); New Zealand, Americas, Europe, Africa, Australia.
This species is probably indigenous to southern South America (Gates, 1972).
Locality: Narayen, Brisbane, Samford, in Qld; Scullin and Kippax, ACT;
Cowra, NSW in pitfall trap; Rocherlea, Tasmania - new records for Australia.
Habitat: clay pasture soil under irrigated plots, glasshouse pots,
riverbanks, suburban gardens, drain of a carpark at Rocherlea. |
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Temporary environment for the
new arrivals.
click the image for a larger view
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Common Name:
Luminous earthworm
These earthworms are usually sighted after
prolonged rainfall that saturates the ground and forces them to seek high ground.
They leave behind a luminous slime trail
which is actually the result of a bio-chemical reaction
very similar to all our listed organisms.
Comparative studies support the view that earthworm bioluminescence involves:
1. luminescence from coelomic fluid with the system packaged in coelomocytes,
2. a hydrogen peroxide based chemistry,
3. earthworm luciferin as N-isovaleryl-3 animo-propanal.
The luminescence exuded depending on type
species at night , can range from pale silvery-green
to yellow.
We are waiting to see if our
latest arrivals survive for further observation and identification.
They appear to be a similar
type to the luminous earthworms found in the New England area of northern NSW, and if so
this type species may be wider spread than originally reported.
References:
Jamieson and Wampler 1979
Wampler and Jamieson 1980,1986
Wampler 1981,1982
Microscolex phosphoreus (Dugès, 1837)
described in my CD book: Blakemore, R. (2002). Cosmopolitan Earthworms - an Eco-Taxonomic
Guide to the Peregrine Species of the World . VermEcology, Kippax, ACT.
G.Maguire
Springbrook Research
Centre
References:
Australian
Biological Resources Study (OLIGOCHAETA: Oligochaeta.sp) |
