Kinabalu giant earthworm

Taxobox
name = Kinabalu giant earthworm
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Annelida
classis = Clitellata
subclassis = Oligochaeta
ordo = Haplotaxida
familia = Megascolecidae
genus = "Pheretima"
species = "P. darnleiensis"
binomial = "Pheretima darnleiensis"
binomial_authority = Fletcher, 1886
synonyms =

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. [Blakemore, R.J., C. Csuzdi, M.T. Ito, N. Kaneko, T. Kawaguchi & M. Schilthuizen 2007. PDFlink| [http://www.mapress.com/zootaxa/2007f/z01613p044f.pdf Taxonomic status and ecology of Oriental "Pheretima darnleiensis" (Fletcher, 1886) and other earthworms (Oligochaeta : Megascolecidae) from Mt Kinabalu, Borneo.] |16.4 KiB "Zootaxa" 1613: 23–44.] Phillipps, A. & F. Liew 2000. "Globetrotter Visitor's Guide – Kinabalu Park". New Holland Publishers (UK) Ltd.]

References

External links

* [http://www.endemicguides.com/Giant_Leech.htm The giant leech and giant worm in Kinabalu Park, Borneo, Malaysia]