Earthworm Species from Taleghan Region, Central Elburz Mountans, IRAN

Earthworms are key species in terrestrial ecosystems and play essential role in ecology, environment as well as agriculture. Earthworms are ecologically divided into three groups: Epigeic, Endogeic and Anecic, and their distributions depend on physical and chemical factors in the soil. On the other hand, variety of earthworms effect on physical and chemical structure of the soil. The present study has been done faunistic study of earthworms in Taleghan region (Elburz province), east of Elburz Mountains with special climate and geography with several rivers and various habitats such as: jungle, grassland, fruit garden and agriculture lands that cause rich biota. This study was first conducted in the summer ۲۰۲۰ in this area. Mature specimens were collected by hand sorting and digging up quadrate ۵۰ * ۵۰cm in ۹ sites. Then in laboratory, Earthworms were rinsed in water, anaesthetized in diluted ethanol ۱۵% and fixed in ۹۶% ethanol. The specimens were studied and identified morphologically and anatomically by valid identification resources and keys. The list of identified species are the following:Aporrectodea caliginosa (Savigny, ۱۸۲۶), Ap. rosea (Savigny, ۱۸۲۶), Ap. jassyensis (Michaelsen, ۱۸۹۱), Dendrobaena byblica (Rosa ۱۸۹۳), D. octaedra (Savigny ۱۸۲۶), Dendrodrilus rubidus (Savigny), Eisenia andrei Bouche, ۱۹۷۲, Eiseniella tetraedra (Savigny, ۱۸۲۶), Octolasion lacteum (Örley, ۱۸۸۱).All of these species belong to the Lumbersidae family and belong to the ecological group of the epigeic and endogeic group.