Diversity and Distribution of Earthworms in Different Soil Habitats of Assam, North-East India, an Indo-Burma Biodiversity Hotspot

Species diversity and distribution of earth
worms was carried out in different soil habitat conditions
of Assam, north-east India, a part of Indo-Burma mega
biodiversity hotspot. Seventeen species belonging to six
different families namely Moniligastridae, Megascoleci
dae, Almidae, Glossocolecidae, Lumbricidae, Ocnerodrili
dae were recorded from the study locations. The population
density and biomass of the worm species ranged from
65–238 m-2 and 1.1–5.4 g m-2 across different sampling
habitats. Relative occurrence of earthworm species varied
according to soil habitat conditions. Amynthas diffringens,
Perionyx excavates, Glyphidrilus gangeticus, Lampito
mauritii were dominant species under agricultural land use
system while Metaphire posthuma, Dichogaster saliens
were the dominant species under open grass land and
mixed forest system. The present investigation is the first
report on diversity and distribution of earthworm species
collected from different soil habitats of Assam, north-east
India.