Rhynchelmis is the genus of 30 species of aquatic oligochaetes from the Northern Hemisphere, with 11 species from North America and 19 from Eurasia. They are part of the family Lumbriculidae, which are among the largest of the microdriles. They are generally defined as having atria in segment X and spermathecae in segment VIII (Fend & Brinkhurst, 2000). The prostomium generally has a proboscis, from which the genus has got its name.

Rhynchelmis
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Annelida
Clade: Pleistoannelida
Clade: Sedentaria
Class: Clitellata
Order: Lumbriculida
Family: Lumbriculidae
Genus: Rhynchelmis
Hoffmeister, 1843
Species

Rhynchelmis contains several subgenera, all of which have previously held genus rank: Rhynchelmoides with four species, Sutroa with six species, and Pseudorhynchelmis with nine species. Further, four species - Rh. aleutensis, Rh. brooksi, Rh. malevici and Rh. orientalis - cannot positively be placed in any of the subgenera.

References

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  • Fend, S. V. & Brinkhurst, R. O. (2000): New species of Rhynchelmis (Clitellata, Lumbriculidae), with observations on the Nearctic species. Hydrobiologia 428: 1-59.