Blackworms  and  Allies  -  Order:  Lumbriculida
      Of the 249 species listed in the Catalogue of Life, only one can be considered to be a likely prospect for discovery in the Northern Rivers.  This does not mean that this species, Lumbriculus variegatus, will remain the only one of course, but at present there are simply too few records, even Australia wide, ​to contemplate any others.  A second species may be found in Australia but there are no official records as yet.
      Member species of this order are microdrile (= small worm) Oligochaetes that live in freshwater, brackish or shallow marine habitats.  Their small size (<100 mm but very thin) make them semi-transparent and most seem to prefer cooler climates and tend to be localised.  Like earthworms they produce cocoons for their eggs but, reproduction is mostly asexual by fragmentation.

Family:  Lumbriculidae

       Blackworm - Lumbriculus variegatus

Taxonomy:

Phylum:   Annelida    (Segmented Worms) 
                    > Class:   Clitellata    (Clitellates)
                              > Subclass:   Oligochaeta    (Earthworms and Allies)
                                                  > Order:   Lumbriculida   (Lumbriculids)
                                                                                > Family:   Lumbriculidae   (Blackworms)
                                                                                                    > Genus:   Lumbriculis
​                                                                                                              > Species:   L. variegatus
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References  and  links:
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        https://keys.lucidcentral.org/keys/v3/TFI/start%20key/key/Annelida%20key/Media/HTML/Lumbriculidae.html
      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fragmentation_(reproduction)
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Photographic  contributions:

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