Clitellata
Earthworms/Class
oligochaete, any worm of the subclass Oligochaeta (class Clitellata, phylum Annelida). About 3,500 living species are known, the most familiar of which is the earthworm (q.v.), Lumbricus terrestris. Oligochaetes are common all over the world. They live in the sea, in fresh water, and in moist soil.

What is the classification of earthworms?

Earthworm/Class

Which is example of Oligochaeta?

Earthworm
NaididaeHaplotaxidsEnchytraeidaeLumbriculidae
Earthworms/Lower classifications

What are the characteristics of class Oligochaeta?

Class Oligochaeta

• Hermaphroditic.
• Terrestrial or freshwater habitats.
• Segmented body.
• Specialization in structure of alimentary system.
• Specialization in structure of reproductive system.

How are freshwater oligochaetes different from earthworms?

Freshwater oligochaetes are usually smaller than earthworms. They have more conspicuous setae. They are more mobile. They have better-developed sense organs.

How do you identify an Oligochaeta?

Oligochaetes are hermaphrodites so have male and female genitalia. Examination of the genitalia is normally required for genus or species level identifications, with the notable exception of the Naidinae. Clitellum: The easiest way to determine whether a worm is mature is to look for the clitellum.

What is the class and order of earthworm?

Haplotaxids
Earthworm/Order

Does earthworm belong to class Oligochaeta?

How are freshwater oligochaetes generally different from earthworms?

Why are earthworms classified as oligochaeta?

The ‘Oligo’ in Oligochaeta means ‘few’ just as the ‘Poly’ in Polychaeta means ‘many’. Thus the Oligochaeta are the animals with few chaetae, or few bristles. Normally, as in the common earthworms, Oligochaetes have 8 small chaetae per body segment. These are usually arranged in four groups of two around the body.

What class does leech belong to?

Leech/Class
Classically, oligochaetes and leeches are placed within the phylum Annelida either in the order Hirudinea, class Clitellata, or in the class Euhirudinea.

How do we identify freshwater oligochaetes?

The extensive taxonomic work done since 1960 by Brinkhurst and others, however, has enabled routine identification of most of our freshwater oligochaetes from simple whole mounts. Some aquatic worms closely resemble terrestrial earthworms while others can be much narrower or thread-like.

Where do oligochaetes live in the world?

Class Oligochaeta (oligos, few + chaete, hair) The class Oligochaeta has over three thousand species. They are found throughout the world in freshwater and terrestrial habitats. A few oligochaetes are estuarine, some are marine.

What are oligochaetes sensu stricto?

Oligochaeta Sensu Stricto (Sludge and Earthworms) Oligochaetes sensu stricto (=s.s.) are the most diverse and widely distributed group of annelids in all kinds of terrestrial and aquatic habitats. To date, approximately 5000 valid species of oligochaetes are described worldwide, of which about 1100 live in freshwaters.

Is Oligochaeta a clitellate?

Oligochaeta is a paraphyletic stem group (traditionally treated as a subclass) of the class Clitellata that is separate from the advanced, sucker-bearing clitellates: Hirudinea, Acanthobdellida, and Branchiobdellida. From: Thorp and Covich’s Freshwater Invertebrates (Fourth Edition), 2015.