Applied and Environmental Soil Science

Review Article

The Role of Earthworms in Tropics with Emphasis on Indian Ecosystems

Table 1

Earthworm distribution in Southern Karnataka (India) in different agroclimatic zones including coastal plains, hilly regions, and interior plains.
Sl. No.SpeciesMoisture level (%)Soil typeVertical distribution (cm)Food nichePopulation density (no./100 m2)
1Curgeona narayaniWet land-in waterlogged soilRed loamy soilUp to 45Mesohumic640–11,250
2Dichogaster affinis20–40Red loamy, alluvial and lateritic5–10Mesohumic to polyhumic60–250
3D. bolaui20–40 ′ ′ ′ ′ ′ ′ 60–450
4D. curgensis20–40Red loamy ′ ′ Polyhumic25–200
5D. modigliani20–40Red sandy ′ ′ Mesohumic10–25
6D. saliens20–40Red sandy ′ ′ ′ ′ 65–265
7Drawida ampullacea > 40Red loamy10–20Polyhumic275–930
8D. barwelli > 50Red loamy to sandy soil10–30 ′ ′ 275–576
9D. barwelli impertusa > 50Red loamy ′ ′ ′ ′ 120–430
10D. calebi > 50Red loamy to sandy soil10–30Polyhumic80–1200
11D. ferina40–50Red loamy20–30Mesohumic40–340
12D. ghatensis40–50 ′ ′ 10–20 ′ ′ 450–1350
13D. kanarensis40–50 ′ ′ ′ ′ ′ ′ 85–400
14D. lennora40–50Red sandy soil ′ ′ ′ ′ 15–30
15D. modesta40–50 ′ ′ 10–30 ′ ′ 4–500
16D. paradoxa > 40Red loamy to alluvial10–20Polyhumic1700–2500
17D. pellucida pallida > 40Lateritic to Red loamy ′ ′ Mesohumic4–500
18D. scandens > 40Red sandy loam5–10Polyhumic10–350
19D. sulcata > 40Alluvial soil10–30Polyhumic65–235
20Glyphidrillus annandalei > 40Sandy bed to Red loam20–45Oligohumic130–1600
21Gordiodrilus elegans > 40Red sandy loam10–40Mesohumic24–200
22Hoplochaetella kempi30–40Lateritic to alluvial10–30Polyhumic10–430
23H. suctoria30–40Alluvial10–20 ′ ′ 50–240
24Hoplochaetella sp.40–50Red loam20–40 ′ ′ 460–3330
25Howascolex sp.30–40Red loam10–30 ′ ′ 145–2500
26Lampito mauritii20–30Red sandy to lateritic10–30Mesohumic720–2190
27Mallehula indica30–40Red loam10–20Mesohumic180–880
28Megascolex filiciseta30–40Lateritic5–10Polyhumic15–330
29M. insignis30–40Alluvial5–20Polyhumic65–800
30M. lawsoni30–40Red loam to sandy loam10–30Mesohumic120–1000
31M. konkanensis30–40Lateritic to alluvial20–45Mesohumic20–3900
32Metaphire houlleti > 40Alluvial and Red loam10–40Polyhumic18–2140
33Octochaetona albida30–40Red loam10–20Polyhumic150–650
34O. beatrix20–30 Sandy loam ′ ′ ′ ′ 40–335
35O. rosea30–40Alluvial10–20Mesohumic15–120
36P. excavatus > 40Organic layer0–5Detritivore18–8000
37Plutellus timidus 30–40Alluvial10–15Mesohumic60–460
38Polypheretima elongata > 40Sandy loam to Red loam30–60Mesohumic194–4000
39Pontoscolex corethrurus30–50Sandy, alluvial, loamy, lateritic5–15Mesohumic to polyhumic250–7100