Eukerria saltensis ( Beddard, 1895 )

Mcgee, Joseph M., Carrera-Martínez, Roberto, Callaham Jr, Mac A. & Snyder, Bruce A., 2024, New records of earthworms (Clitellata: Oligochaeta) from Georgia, USA, including eight new state records, Zootaxa 5437 (4), pp. 510-522 : 516

Eukerria saltensis ( Beddard, 1895)

Greene Co.: (3) Sandy Creek , Scull Shoals EF, 33.74339°N, 83.2557°W Sediment R Carrera-Martínez, MK Taylor, MA Callaham, 18 Apr 2017, 6 Jul 2017, 21 Sep 2017 ; (5) Unnamed trib to Sandy Creek, Scull Shoals EF, 33.7431°N, 83.2523°W, Sediment, R Carrera-Martínez, MK Taylor, MA Callaham, 17 Apr 2017, 6 Jul 2017, 21 Sep 2017 ; (1) Oconee River , Scull Shoals EF, 33.76915°N, 83.28407°W, Sediment, R Carrera-Martínez, MK Taylor, MA Callaham, 24 Jul 2017, 19 Sep 2017 .

Jones Co.: (4) Falling Creek , Hitchiti EF, 33.03521°N, 83.71082°W, Sediment, R Carrera-Martínez, MK Taylor, 2 May 2017, 11 Jul 2017 .

Previously recorded: Clarke, Fannin, Grady, Harris, Lowndes, Thomas, Whitfield. This South American species is distributed in the eastern US (Texas to North Carolina) and along the US west coast (California and Oregon) ( Gates 1982).

Remarks. Eukerria saltensis is the second most common earthworm collected in semiaquatic environments, with the native Sparganophilus spp. dominating the communities (Carrera-Martínez, R. unpublished data). As both groups inhabit the same habitats (sandbars, mud, and stream shorelines), it is likely that some competition might be occurring between the native Sparganophilus and the invasive E. saltensis . Furthermore, the presence of E. saltensis raises concern for more rare semiaquatic species, such as those undescribed Sparganophilus species, some members of Diplocardia , and the elusive Lutodrilus in Louisiana. Therefore, there is a need to study and monitor these traditionally neglected semiaquatic earthworm taxa.