Oligochaeta

Oligochaeta
Temporal range: Triassic – recent
Earthworm (Lumbricus terrestris)
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Annelida
Clade: Pleistoannelida
Clade: Sedentaria
Class: Clitellata
Subclass: Oligochaeta
Orders

Oligochaeta (/ˌɒlɪɡəˈktə, -ɡ-/)[1] is a subclass of soft-bodied animals in the phylum Annelida, which is made up of many types of aquatic and terrestrial worms, including all of the various earthworms. Specifically, oligochaetes comprise the terrestrial megadrile earthworms (some of which are semiaquatic or fully aquatic), and freshwater or semiterrestrial microdrile forms, including the tubificids, pot worms and ice worms (Enchytraeidae), blackworms (Lumbriculidae) and several interstitial marine worms.

With around 10,000 known species, the Oligochaeta make up about half of the phylum Annelida. These worms usually have few setae (chaetae) or "bristles" on their outer body surfaces, and lack parapodia, unlike polychaeta.

  1. ^ "Oligochaeta". Lexico UK English Dictionary. Oxford University Press. Archived from the original on 2022-07-08.