Taxonomy of North European Lumbricillus (Clitellata, Enchytraeidae)

Abstract

<i>Lumbricillus</i> is a genus of clitellate worms with about 80 described species that inhabit marine and limnic habitats. This study follows a recent analysis of the phylogeny of the genus based on 24 species of <i>Lumbricillus</i> collected mainly in Norway and Sweden. We provide the illustrated taxonomic descriptions of all these species and describe two of them as new; <i>Lumbricillus latithecatus</i><b>sp. n.</b> and <i>L. scandicus</i><b>sp. n.</b> Using the recent phylogeny, we informally divide <i>Lumbricillus</i> into five distinct morphological groups, into which we also tentatively place the <i>Lumbricillus</i> species not included in this study. Furthermore, we establish <i>Claparedrilus</i><b>gen. n.</b>, with the type species <i>C. semifuscoides</i><b>sp. n.</b>, and transfer <i>Pachydrilus semifuscus</i> Claparède, 1861 (previously referred to <i>Lumbricillus</i>) into said genus.