Abstract
The ocnerodrilids Eukerria saltensis (Beddard, 1895) and Ocnerodrilus occidentalis Eisen, 1878 are reported for the first time from outdoor localities above 42° N in Europe. The present new records comprise the first ever from England (River Thames, central London) and from France (River Golo, northern Corsica) and the northernmost occurrences in Italy (Liguria and Veneto). The new latitudinal limits and the numerosity of outdoor records suggest that the current environmental and climate changes are substantially enhancing the dispersal and survival possibilities of these worms, even though different transport vectors seem to be involved for the two species.
Highlights
The Ocnerodrilidae Beddard, 1891 are a family of semiaquatic megadriles, generally filiform and smaller than 100 by 2 mm
Three recent molecular investigations of earthworm phylogeny (Jamieson et al 2002, Pop et al 2005, James and Davidson 2012), having each analysed about 30 megascolecoid species, including up to four different ocnerodrilines, agree in suggesting that the Ocnerodrilidae are the sister taxon to the Megascolecidae s.l
Friend (1916) described his Kerria rubra - possibly a species dubia (Jamieson 1970) and in any case not a synonym of E. saltensis – on specimens found in the tropical water lily tank at the Oxford Botanical Garden
Summary
The Ocnerodrilidae Beddard, 1891 are a family of semiaquatic megadriles, generally filiform and smaller than 100 by 2 mm. The phylogenetic position of the Ocnerodrilidae in relation to the other megascolecoid families has been historically controversial, partly depending on the range of taxa considered, and partly on the authors' subjective evaluation of facts at hand (see Blakemore 2005). Blakemore (2000) relaunched the classical view, showing that morphologically the Ocnerodrilidae are most closely related to the Acanthodrilidae with the Megascolecidae s.s. further derived. Three recent molecular investigations of earthworm phylogeny (Jamieson et al 2002, Pop et al 2005, James and Davidson 2012), having each analysed about 30 megascolecoid species, including up to four different ocnerodrilines (though not the family type genus Ocnerodrilus), agree in suggesting that the Ocnerodrilidae are the sister taxon to the Megascolecidae s.l
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