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Printed in Canada ISSN 0380-9633
MEGADRILOGICA
Volume 26, Number 7, October 2021
NEW ASIAN PHERETIMOID "JUMPING EARTHWORM" RECORDS
(CLITELLATA: OLIGOCHAETA: MEGASCOLECIDAE) IN CANADA.
John Warren Reynolds
Oligochaetology Laboratory, 9-1250 Weber Street East, Kitchener, ON Canada N2A 4E1, and
Research Associate, New Brunswick Museum, Saint John, NB Canada E2K 1E5
(e-mail: john.w.reynolds1941@gmail.com ! https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8362-9071)
and
Michael J. McTavish
Mitacs Elevate Postdoctoral Fellow, Smith Forest Health Lab, Institute of Forestry and Conservation,
John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape and Design
University of Toronto, 33 Willcocks St, Toronto, ON Canada M5S 3E8
(e-mail: michael.mctavish@alum.utoronto.ca ! https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3343-8709)
ABSTRACT
Asian pheretimoid "jumping worms" are found throughout the northeast and midwest United States but
had previously only been documented once in Canada, in 2014. In summer 2021, reports were received of
"unusual" earthworms in the gardens of private residences in southern Ontario, Canada. Following up on these
reports, we provide five new collections of jumping worms including the previously documented Amynthas
hilgendorfi (syn. Metaphire hilgendorfi) and Amynthas agrestis in addition to the first records of Amynthas
tokioensis (syn. Metaphire levis) and Pithemera bicincta. This brings the total number of known earthworm species
in Canada to 35. Jumping worms were collected primarily from household gardens but were also detected in a
semi-natural ravine in Toronto, Ontario. Observations by landowners and the extent of invasion in the ravine
support suspicions that undocumented jumping worm populations have already been present in Canada and Ontario
in particular for some time. Further monitoring and research supported by community-science should be prioritized
to determine the distribution and spread of jumping worms in Canada.
Key words: Canada, Ontario, Oligochaeta, Megascolecidae, earthworms, Amynthas agrestis, A. hilgendorfi, A.
tokioensis, Pithemera bicincta, distribution, new records.
RESUME
Les « vers sauteurs » phérétimoïdes asiatiques se retrouvent à travers le nord-est et le centre-ouest des
États-Unis, mais avaient été documentés auparavant qu'une seule fois au Canada, en 2014. À l'été 2021, des rapports
ont été reçus concernant des vers de terre « inhabituels » dans les jardins de résidences privées du sud de l'Ontario,
Canada. Pour faire suite à ces rapports, nous avons répertorié cinq nouvelles collections de vers sauteurs, y compris
les espèces précédemment documentées, Amynthas hilgendorfi (syn. Metaphire hilgendorfi) et Amynthas agrestis,
en plus des premières observations d'Amynthas tokioensis (syn. Metaphire levis) et de Pithemera bicincta. Cela porte
à 35 le nombre total d'espèces de vers de terre connues au Canada. Les vers sauteurs ont été collectés principalement
dans des jardins familiaux, mais ont également été détectés dans un ravin semi-naturel à Toronto, en Ontario. Les
observations des propriétaires fonciers et l'étendue de l'invasion dans le ravin appuient les soupçons selon lesquels
des populations de vers sauteurs non documentées sont déjà présentes au Canada et en Ontario en particulier depuis
un certain temps. D'autres surveillances et recherches appuyées par la science communautaire devraient être
priorisées pour déterminer la répartition et la propagation des vers sauteurs au Canada.
Mots-clé: Canada, Ontario, Oligochaeta, Megascolecidae, vers de terre, Amynthas agrestis, A. hilgendorfi, A.
tokioensis, Pithemera bicincta, répartition, nouvelles observations.
84 New Pheretimoid earthworms in Canada
RESUMEN
Los 'lombrices de tierra saltarinas' feretimoides asiáticas se encuentran en todo el noreste y el medio oeste
de los Estados Unidos, pero anteriormente solo se habían registrado una vez en Canadá, en 2014. En el verano de
2021, se recibieron informes de lombrices de tierra 'no comunes' en los jardines de residencias privadas en el sur de
Ontario, Canadá. Siguiendo esta informacio'n, proporcionamos cinco nuevas colecciones de gusanos saltarines que
incluyen Amynthas hilgendorfi (sin. Metaphire hilgendorfi) y Amynthas agrestis previamente registrados, además
de las primeras citas de Amynthas tokioensis (sin. Metaphire levis) y Pithemera bicincta. Esto eleva el número total
de especies de lombrices de tierra conocidas en Canadá a 35. Las lombrices de tierra saltarinas se recolectaron
principalmente de los huertos familiares, pero también se detectaron en un barranco seminatural en Toronto, Ontario.
Las observaciones de los propietarios de tierras y el alcance de la invasión en el barranco respaldan las sospechas
de que las poblaciones de lombrices de tierra saltarinas no registradas aun ya estuvieron presentes particularmente
en Canadá y Ontario durante algún tiempo. Se debe priorizar el seguimiento y las investigaciónes adicionales
respaldados por la ciencia comunitaria para determinar la distribución y propagación de las lombrices de tierra
saltarinas en Canadá.
Palabras clave: Canadá, Ontario, Oligochaeta, Megascolecidae, lombrices de tierra, Amynthas agrestis, A.
hilgendorfi, A. tokioensis, Pithemera bicincta, distribución, nuevos registros.
ZUSAMMENFASSUNG
Asiatische Pheretimoid-"Springende Würmer" sind im gesamten Nordosten und Mittleren Westen der
Vereinigten Staaten zu finden, wurden in Kanada jedoch einmal im Jahr 2014 dokumentiert. Im Sommer 2021
gingen Berichte über "ungewöhnliche" Regenwürmer in den Gärten von Privathäusern im Süden der kanadischen
Provinz Ontario ein. Im Anschluss an diese Berichte stellen wir fünf neue Sammlungen von Springwürmern zur
Verfügung, darunter die bereits dokumentierten Amynthas hilgendorfi (syn. Metaphire hilgendorfi) und Amynthas
agrestis zusätzlich zu den Erstnachweisen von Amynthas tokioensis (syn. Metaphire levis) und Pithemera bicincta.
Damit steigt die Gesamtzahl der bekannten Regenwurmarten in Kanada auf 35. Springwürmer wurden hauptsächlich
in Gärten gesammelt, wurden aber auch in einer naturnahen Schlucht in Toronto, Ontario, entdeckt. Beobachtungen
von Grundbesitzern und das Ausmaß der Invasion in der Schlucht stützen den Verdacht, dass in Kanada und Ontario
bereits seit einiger Zeit undokumentierte Springwurmpopulationen vorkommen. Weitere Überwachung und
Forschung, die von Community-Science unterstützt wird, sollte Priorität haben, um die Verbreitungvon
Springwürmern in Kanada zu bestimmen.
Schlüsselworte: Kanada, Ontario, Oligochaeta, Megascolecidae, Regenwürmer, Amynthas agrestis, A. hilgendorfi,
A. tokioensis, Pithemera bicincta, geografische Verteilung, neue Datensätze.
INTRODUCTION
The introduction of jumping and thrashing
earthworms, also commonly called 'crazy worms' – a
group of pheretimoid species (Clitellata: Oligochaeta:
Megascolecidae) from China, Japan and Korea, have
increasingly become an ecological, environmental and
conservation issue in forest and urban landscapes in
many countries (Chang et al. 2016, 2021). When I
(JWR) conducted research in the southeastern United
States in the late 1960s and 1970s, these species were
just beginning to be recorded in nature as far north as
Tennessee (Reynolds, 1978). Today they are frequently
found in the American northeast and midwest (Callaham
et al., 2003; Frelich et al., 2006; Nuzzo et al, 2009;
Szlávecz et al., 2011; Görres and Melnichuk, 2012;
Greiner et al., 2012; Gorsuch and Owen, 2014; Görres et
al., 2014a, 2014b; Schult et al., 2016; Qui and Turner,
2017; Moore et al., 2018; O'Keefe and McCulloh, 2021).
The first report of pheretimoid earthworms in
Canada was on the Ojibway Prairie in Essex County,
Ontario just across the Detroit River from Detroit,
Michigan, USA (Reynolds, 2014). In the summer of
2021, reports of "unusual" earthworms in the private
gardens of residents were brought to the attention of
MJM through the Master Gardeners of Ontario Program.
Where possible, site visits were made to verify these
reports and collect earthworm specimens. This is the
first record of collections in Canada, and Ontario in
particular since the original paper, but it has been
expected for a number of years that jumping worms were
already in many other locations in Ontario (Reynolds
and Dobson, 2021).
85
MEGADRILOGICA
COLLECTIONS
Identification of species in collections A-F,
below were undertaken with the aid of keys and
taxonomic information presented in Chang et al. (2016),
Gates and Reynolds (2017), and Reynolds (1978). The
age classification formula (as described in Reynolds,
1977) – for juveniles-aclitellate adults-clitellate adults
[as a polyminimal, x-x-x], immediately follows the
scientific names of the species identified in each of the
collections, below.
All earthworms appeared superficially similar
in the field and displayed characteristics consistent with
one or more species of jumping worm, i.e., pale grey
colouration, milky annular clitellum, thrashing behaviour
and autotomy upon being disturbed. Samples were
euthanized in 95% ethanol, refrigerated (for 1–3 days
prior to processing) to limit degradation, transferred to
10% formalin for 24 hours, then stored in 95% ethanol.
Previous collections
A. Essex County, Ontario
1. Ojibway Prairie Provincial Nature Reserve, 5200
Matchette Rd, Windsor, in a large woodchip pile, 28
June 2014. Coll. John W. Reynolds (Reynolds, 2014).
Amynthas agrestis (Goto and Hatai, 1899) 0-0-20+
2. Ojibway Prairie Provincial Nature Reserve, 5200
Matchette Rd, Windsor, under a large piece of plywood
in open grassland, 28 June 2014. Coll. John W.
Reynolds (Reynolds, 2014).
Amynthas hilgendorfi (syn. Metaphire hilgendorfi)
(Michaelsen, 1892) 0-0-5
New collections
B. Wheatley (Kent Co. on Essex Co. Line)
Private rural residence, in a mulched garden, 26 August
2021. High density of casts and earthworms. First
observed by residents in June 2021, source of
introduction unknown. Potential for spread to adjoining
agricultural fields. Coll. Michael J. McTavish.
Amynthas hilgendorfi 0-0-3
Amynthas tokioensis (Beddard, 1892) (syn. Metaphire
levis (Goto and Hatai, 1899)) 0-0-1
C. Dundas (Hamilton) (Wentworth Co.)
Private urban residence, beneath a pile of old
newspapers and along the wood-framed edges of a small
front yard mulched garden, 27 August 2021. Low
density population with scattered casts. First observed by
residents in August 2021, possible introduction through
recent plant and soil additions. Coll. Michael J.
McTavish.
Amynthas agrestis 0-0-1
Amynthas tokioensis 0-0-1
D. East York (Toronto) (York Co.)
Private urban residence, in front, side, and back of house
gardens and backyard greenhouse, 25 August 2021.
Moderate density population with scattered casts.
Unconfirmed observations by residents dating back to
2016, source unknown. Potential for spread to nearby
ravines and through movement of plants to other
properties. Coll. Michael J. McTavish.
Amynthas hilgendorfi 0-1-4
Pithemera bicincta (Perrier, 1875) 0-0-1
E. Toronto (York Co.)
Private urban residence, in back garden, 20 September
2021. Low density population with scattered casts.
Unconfirmed observations by residents dating back to
2017 of unexplained plant decline and behaviourally
atypical earthworms. Possible sources include
contiguous mulched gardens in neighbouring properties
or damp top dressing brought to the property. Potential
for spread to nearby ravines (including Collection F,
below). Coll. Michael J. McTavish.
Amynthas agrestis 0-0-6
F. Blythwood Ravine (Toronto) (York Co.)
Public ravine park surrounded by private homes,
alongside a foot path ~200 m from the ravine access
point, 20 September 2021. High density population with
abundant casts adjacent to foot path and deeper into the
woodlot interior. Possible sources include gardens of
private residences uphill and backing onto the ravine
(including Collection E, above). Depth and extent of
casts suggests the population may have been present for
at least several years. Coll. Michael J. McTavish.
Amynthas hilgendorfi 0-0-3
S. Supplemental. Additional credible, but unconfirmed
observations were submitted from the Niagara Region
and other sites in York County (see So in Fig. 1).
Residents reported a small number of suspicious looking
earthworms from nursery pots of recently purchased
plants but had destroyed and disposed of the individuals
before samples could be collected.
86 New Pheretimoid earthworms in Canada
Fig. 1. Location of pheretimoid collections in Ontario, Canada. A – Ojibway Prairie Provincial Nature Reserve, B –
Wheatley, C – Dundas (Hamilton), D – East York (Toronto), E – Toronto, F – Blythwood Ravine (Toronto), S – Fonthill
(Niagara Region) and Toronto (York Region) suspected species, unconfirmed. Species collection sites: M Amynthas
agrestis, M Amynthas hilgendorfi, M Amynthas tokioensis, M Pithemera bicincta.
DISCUSSION
Prior to the collections discussed herein, 33
earthworm species had been recorded in Canada
(Reynolds, 2018, 2021), which included the first record
of Asian earthworms in Canada (Amynthas hilgendorfi,
Amynthas agrestis), collected at the Ojibway Prairie
Provincial Nature Reserve in 2014 (Reynolds, 2014).
This present paper records the second time these
earthworms are reported from Canada and Ontario and
adds the first records of Amynthas tokioensis (syn.
Metaphire levis) and Pithemera bicincta, bringing the
total number of known earthworm species in Canada to
35 (Fig. 1).
Of the newly reported species in Canada,
Amynthas tokioensis has been previously reported from
the United States: Connecticut (Gates, 1966), Delaware,
Illinois, Maryland, Wisconsin (Dávalos et al., 2015),
Florida (Reynolds, 1994b), Georgia (Reynolds, 2009),
New Jersey (Davies, 1954), New York (Gates, 1954),
North Carolina (Reynolds, 1994a), Pennsylvania
(Bhatti, 1954), Tennessee (Reynolds, 1978) and
Vermont (Chang et al., 2016). Although early reports
have been from the eastern United States, the spread of
this species in the southeastern and midwestern U.S.
states is the result of activities in horticulture
(gardening, mulching, potted plantings, contaminated
soil discard, etc.) and bait cast off (Reynolds and
Dobson, 2021).
Chang et al. (2017) found that sympatric
occurrence of at least two, and often all three species
e.g., A. agrestis, A. hilgendorfi and A. tokioensis is
more common than having only one species. In
addition, A. tokioensis was dominant in many of these
earthworm communities.
87
MEGADRILOGICA
Pithemera bicincta has been reported from the
states of Florida (Gates, 1982), Georgia (Gates, 1982)
and Maine (Gates, 1963). The distribution possibilities
were discussed under Amynthas tokioensis above.
Consistent with the association of jumping
worms and horticultural activities (Reynolds and
Dobson, 2021), these new collections were made
primarily from the gardens (often mulched) of private
residences. In addition to being a source of concern for
the aesthetics and productivity of gardens (Johnson et
al. 2021), jumping worms in gardens may also
contribute to spread into nearby natural areas. Several
of the collections were from Toronto, Ontario, and the
surrounding area, where gardens may be a major
distribution pathway into the nearby network of semi-
natural and ecologically sensitive ravines that run
throughout the city, areas that should be prioritized for
future research.
While the only prior collections of jumping
worms in Canada were made in Essex County in 2014
(Reynolds, 2014), private residents provided
unconfirmed reports in 2021 of jumping worm activity
dating back up to five years, supporting the suspicion
that other populations had been present but
undocumented in Canada. This is further substantiated
by the quantity of casts present in the Blythwood
Ravine (Toronto, ON) suggesting the presence of a
large and established population. Given the challenges
of monitoring a large geographic area by a limited
number of professional researchers, there have been
growing calls to recruit gardeners, amateur naturalists,
and others to help submit and track pheretimoid
earthworm observations (Johnson et al., 2021;
Reynolds and Dobson, 2021). These community-
science efforts were key to our new collections and may
play an essential role going forwards in monitoring the
distribution and spread of jumping worms in Canada.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
We are grateful to Wilma M. Reynolds of the
Oligochaetology Laboratory and Mark J. Wetzel of the
Illinois Natural History Survey, Champaign, Illinois for
reviewing the manuscript, their comments and
suggestions. Also, we thank Dr. Josef H. Görres,
University of Vermont for significant suggestions. We
thank Bruce Miller for cartographic assistance and
Cathy Kavassalis of the Master Gardener Program of
Ontario for bringing the observations to our attention.
The authors also acknowledge Dr. Catalina C. de
Mischis, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba (Argentina),
Dr. Jean-Marc Gagnon, Canadian Museum of Nature,
and Dr. Josef H. Görres, University of Vermont for
checking our translations of the abstracts and key
words.
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https://www.inhs.illinois.edu/people/mjwetzel/megadrilogica/
Web Site for Nomenclatura Oligochaetologica – Editio Secunda
A catalogue of names, descriptions, and type specimens of the Oligochaeta:
https://www.inhs.illinois.edu/people/mjwetzel/nomenoligo
Please note:
The website addresses (URLs) for the journal Megadrilogica, its index, and for Nomenclatura Oligochaetologica will
be changing in the near future (late-2021). Your visits to the older addresses will be automatically redirected to the new
site addresses.
