Bulletin of the National Speleological Society - ISSN 0146-9517
Volume 21 Part 2: 77-84 - July 1959

A publication of the National Speleological Society

Earthworms of North American Caves
G.E. Gates

Abstract

Twelve species of earthworms now have been reported from 23 caves in the United States. The samples hitherto available indicate that earthworm populations of eighteen caves are monospecific, bispecific and trispecific in five and three caves respectively, that exotic species only were present in 16 caves, native species in seven caves. Nearly 85% of the worms are exotic and of strains in which parthenogenesis is obligatory.

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