Amynthas
Amynthas aspergillum (Taiwan)
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Annelida
Class: Clitellata
Order: Opisthopora
Suborder: Lumbricina
Family: Megascolecidae
Genus: Amynthas
Kinberg, 1867
Jumping behaviour.

Amynthas is a genus of earthworms in the family Megascolecidae.[1] They are known as jumping worms, snake worms, or crazy worms because of their erratic thrashing behaviour when disturbed.[2][3][4][5] The genus is native to East Asia, but they are invasive in many areas of the United States.[3][5][6] They are a matter of concern in many states, as they disrupt the native forest ecology by affecting soil structure and chemistry.[3][7]

Appearance

Amynthas species can be differentiated from other earthworms by their clitellum, which is pale, annular, is close to the head, and lies flat against the body.[3][8] They vary in size between 3.8 and 20.3 cm (1.5 and 8.0 in).[8][9]

Life cycle

Amynthas species' faster reproduction rate and their ability to reproduce asexually (parthenogenesis) has contributed to their spread into the United States.[10] The worms reach maturity in 60 days, which allows them to have two hatches per year.[10] Eggs are wrapped in small cocoons, which overwinter while the adults die off. The young then emerge the next spring.[11]

Species

  • Amynthas agrestis (Goto and Hatai, 1899)
  • Amynthas alexandri (Beddard, 1900)
  • Amynthas assimilis (Hong & Kim, 2002)
  • Amynthas borealis (Panha & Bantaowong, 2011)
  • Amynthas comptus (Gates, 1932)
  • Amynthas defecta (Gates, 1930)
  • Amynthas dorualis
  • Amynthas exiguus (Gates, 1930)
  • Amynthas fucosus (Gates, 1933)
  • Amynthas gracilis (Kinberg, 1867)
  • Amynthas hilgendorfi (Michaelsen, 1892)
  • Amynthas hupbonensis (Stephenson, 1931)
  • †Amynthas japonicus (Horst, 1883)
  • Amynthas kinmenensis
  • Amynthas longicauliculatus (Gates, 1931)
  • Amynthas luridus (Shen, Chang, & Chih, 2019)[12]
  • Amynthas mekongianus (Cognetti, 1922)
  • Amynthas minimus
  • Amynthas mirifius
  • Amynthas moakensis
  • Amynthas morrisi (Beddard, 1892)
  • Amynthas mujuensis
  • Amynthas obsoletus
  • Amynthas papulosus (Rosa, 1896)
  • Amynthas phatubensis (Panha & Bantaowong, 2011)
  • Amynthas polyglandularis
  • Amynthas pulvinus
  • Amynthas ruiyenensis (Shen, Chang, & Chih, 2019)[12]
  • Amynthas sangumburi
  • Amynthas siam (Blakemore, 2011)
  • Amynthas srinan (Panha & Bantaowong, 2011)
  • Amynthas taiwumontis
  • Amynthas tessellatus
  • Amynthas tokioensis (Beddard, 1892)[12]
  • Amynthas tontong (Panha & Bantaowong, 2011)
  • Amynthas wuhumontis
  • Amynthas wujhouensis

References

  1. ↑ Bantaowong, U.; Chanabun, R.; Tongkerd, P.; Sutcharit, C.; James, S.W. & Panha, S. (2011). "New earthworm species of the genus Amynthas Kinberg, 1867 from Thailand (Clitellata, Oligochaeta, Megascolecidae)". ZooKeys (90): 35–62. doi:10.3897/zookeys.90.1121. PMC 3084491. PMID 21594106.
  2. ↑ "Asian Jumping Worms". hortnews.extension.iastate.edu. Retrieved 2022-12-21.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Jumping worm (Amynthas species) | Minnesota DNR". www.dnr.state.mn.us. Retrieved 2022-12-21.
  4. ↑ Silver, Jennie. ""Jumping Worm" – Amynthas spp". Extension Richland County. Retrieved 2022-12-21.
  5. 1 2 "details". www.tsusinvasives.org. Retrieved 2022-12-21.
  6. ↑ "Amynthas Worms in Maine : Maine DACF". www.maine.gov. Retrieved 2022-12-21.
  7. ↑ "Jumping worms". extension.umn.edu. Retrieved 2022-12-22.
  8. 1 2 Wisconsin DNR Forest Health. "Jumping Worms (Amynthas spp.) Fact Sheet". Updated April 2015. Accessed Dec 22 2022.
  9. ↑ "Jumping Worms". www.michigan.gov. Retrieved 2022-12-22.
  10. 1 2 "Jumping Worm (Amynthas spp.)". Cornell Cooperative Extension. Retrieved 2022-12-22.
  11. ↑ weeks (2021-07-28). "Jumping/Crazy/Snake Worms – Amynthas spp". Center for Agriculture, Food, and the Environment. Retrieved 2022-12-22.
  12. 1 2 3 Shen, H.-P.; Chang, C.-H. & Chih, W.-J. (2019). "Two new earthworm species of the genus Amynthas (Oligochaeta: Megascolecidae) from central Taiwan, with comments on some recent species assignments in Amynthas and Metaphire". Zootaxa. 4658 (1): 101–123. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.4658.1.4. PMID 31716758.
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