Species richness and zoogeographic affinities of earthworms in Cyprus

A new survey taken in the East Mediterranean island of Cyprus showed an increase in the number of earthworm species (from the six recorded earlier to 16). These species belong to two earthworm families: Lumbricidae (15 species) and Acanthodrilidae (one species). The majority of these species are autochthonous (57–64%) and five to seven species (36–44%) were introduced. The autochthonous species are (i) endemic of the Levant (Dendrobaena semitica), (ii) distributed in Anatolia and the Caucasus (D. pentheri), (iii) distributed from Europe up to Anatolia (Allolobophora nematogena, D. pantaleonis, Proctodrilus tuberculatus) (iv) distributed from Europe up to the Levant (Murchieona minuscula), (v) distributed in the Transcaucasian region and in the East Mediterranean (Helodrilus patriarchalis), or (vi) widely distributed along the Mediterranean basin (D. byblica, Eiseniella neapolitana, and Octodrilus complanatus). The data obtained indicate that the Cypriote earthworm fauna is significantly richer in species than previously thought and that it has more zoogeographic affinities with the Anatolian fauna than with those of Levant.