248 OLIGOCHAETA 



Definition. Length up to 30 ot. ; number of segments, 100/ setae 3-6 in each hinrlle. 

 Hah. — Coasts of Europe. 

 Other characters those of genus. 



LiMNODRILlTS, Clapabede. 



Syn. Tubifex, Budge (in part.). 



Clitellio, Vaillant (in part.). 

 Camptodrilus, EiSEN. 

 Pododrilus, Czekniaysky (in part.). 

 PAeestus, Leidy. 

 Lumtariculus, Leidy (in part.). 



DEFiiriTiOBr. I"resh-water Oligochaeta with'uncinate setae only. Contractile hearts 



in VIII Or in VIII and IX. Perivisceral loops in posterior segments of body give 



oflF branches wMcli penetrate body- wall. Penis with chitinous lining ; prostates 



present. 



The genus Limnodrilus was first clearly defined by Claparede (2). It had been 



confused by Budge and d'Udekem with Tubifex. Budge, for example, figures the 



chitinous penis of Limnodrilus in his paper dealing with Tubifex rivulorum, while 



d'Udekem, writing on the structure of the same worm, remarks upon the occasional 



absence of capillary setae ; this appears to show that he had before him a Limnodrilus, 



'for this is one of the principal difierences between Limnodrilus and Tubifex^. I do not 



agree with Vaillant's inclusion of Limnodrilus ■^^ithin the genus Clitellio ; the reasons 



for thus dissenting have been stated on p. 247. On the other hand it seems probable 



(as Vejdovsky and Vaillant believe) that Eisen's Camptodrilus is not really separable 



from Limnodrilus. It is distinguished by Eisen (12, p. H98) only on the grounds 



of the spiral arrangement of the fibres which surround the penis. ' In other respects,' 



he observes, ' this genus resembles Limnodrilus.' The question whether this be of 



sufiicient importance as a generic mark need not be discussed, since Vejdovsky 



(24, pp. 4S, 143) finds the same spiral arrangement in Limnodrilus. 



As to Pododrilus of Czeeniavsky— the defective description of this author renders it impossible 

 to be certain as to its identity (as Vaillant thinks) with Limnodrilus. Pododrilus is not referred 

 to by Vejdovsky. Czerniavsky's definition is as follows : — 



'Fasciculi setarum omnes uncinis furcatis (4-2 vel 5-1) formati anteriores in duphcaturis pro- 

 minentibus ("von einer kleinen Hautfalte getragen") positi Limicolae marinae.' 



' Apart from Tubifex hlancharcU (see p. 246 above). 



