Illinois Natural History Survey - University of Illinois

– Welcome to the Wetzel Oligochaetology Lab at the INHS –

The above plate is a pictorial collage highlighting some of the morphological characteristics specific to one or more aquatic oligochaetes {exception: the picture in the lower right corner is of my Aussie colleague Adrian M. Pinder (Wanneroo, Western Australia) holding small specimens of Megascolides australis, commonly known as the giant Gippsland earthworm -- the largest terrestrial oligochaete thus far known in the world}.  This species averages 1 meter (39 inches) in length and 2 cm (0.8 inches) in diameter, but can reach a length of 3 meters (~117 inches). [Photo credits (collectively): P. Chapman, D. Denson, S. Fend, A. Pinder, M. Pluchino, D. Strom, M. Wetzel]

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Please visit the various linkages to this site via the brown navigator bar at the top of this page, directing you to a diversity of information associated with the Phylum Annelida, this lab, and  the INHS Center for Annelida Resources. Thank you for your interest. – mjw     mjwetzel[AT]illinois.edu