Pontoscolex corethrurus (Müller, 1857), Muller, 1857

Nguyen, Tung T., Nguyen, Anh D., Tran, Binh T. T. & Blakemore, Robert J., 2016, A comprehensive checklist of earthworm species and subspecies from Vietnam (Annelida: Clitellata: Oligochaeta: Almidae, Eudrilidae, Glossoscolecidae, Lumbricidae, Megascolecidae, Moniligastridae, Ocnerodrilidae, Octochaetidae), Zootaxa 4140 (1), pp. 1-92 : 7

Pontoscolex corethrurus (Müller, 1857)

Lumbricus corethrurus Müller, 1856: 113 .

Urochaeta corethrura— Rosa 1889: 125.

Pontoscolex corethrurus— Michaelsen 1900: 425; Gates 1939: 110; Gates 1972: 54; Easton 1984: 120; Thai 1983: 121; Pham 1995c: 111; Thai 2000a: 307; Blakemore 2002: 238, Figs 3.1–3.3; Huynh & Nguyen 2004a: 115; Huynh 2005a: 172; Huynh 2005b: 20; Huynh et al. 2005: 180; Nguyen et al. 2010: 114; Pham 2010: 62; Thai 1987: 7; Thai et al. 2007: 312; Nguyen T.T. & Tran 2008: 61; Blakemore 2008; Nguyen et al. 2010: 114; Nguyen & Nguyen 2010: 123; Nguyen & Huynh 2011: 1018; Nguyen et al. 2011: 1025; Nguyen et al. 2012: 146; Nguyen 2013: 39; Nguyen 2014: 108.

Urochaeta australiensis Beddard, 1891b: 278, synonymized by Michaelsen (1900).

Pontoscolex hawaiensis Beddard, 1895a: 660 , synonymized by Michaelsen (1900).

Pontoscolex corethrurus mexicana Eisen, 1896: 8 , synonymized by Michaelsen (1900).

Urochaeta hystrix Perrier, 1872: 142 , synonymized by Michaelsen (1900).

Pontoscolex arenicola Schmarda, 1861: 11 .

See Blakemore (2002: 238) for more synonyms.

Type locality. Brazil (Itajahy).

Type material. Unknown.

Examined material. 16 C, 17 A (CTU-EW.001.01) forest, Cat Tien NP, Tan Phu , Dong Nai, 13/10/2013, coll. Le Van Nhan ; 45 C, 1 A (CTU-EW.001.05) Hon Me mountain , Hon Dat , Kien Giang, 13/11/2010, coll. Nguyen Thanh Tung .

Records from Vietnam. Widely distributed over all Vietnam.

Distribution. Pan-tropical; supposedly "the most widely distributed earthworm" ( Gates 1972, Blakemore 2002).

Vietnamese name. Giun tân nhiệt đới corethru.

Remarks. The species originates from the neotropical regions and is widely distributed in the world ( Gates 1972). Its wide distribution may result from human activities and possibly drifting ( Blakemore 2002). The species has been considered as "the most widely distributed earthworm" ( Gates 1972), but its supposed restriction to coastal areas ( Stephenson 1930) is no longer true in many regions, e.g. in the Indian peninsula ( Gates 1972). In Vietnam, the species has been found in high density near the beach of Phu Quoc Isl. ( Thai et al. 2004).