Morphological based identification of Earthworm species from Poonch division Azad Kashmir Pakistan.

Earthworms are economically and environmentally very beneficial and their correct identification is very vital. In this study, an attempt has been made to taxonomically identify earthworm species based on morphological characters. The earthworms were collected by simple random sampling from eighteen study sites of Poonch division Pakistan, between April through October 2019 by diging and hand sorting methods were fixed in 10% formaldehyde solution and studied by using a stereomicroscope. The samples were then identified with the help of identification keys provided by Julka (2008) and Chih-Han (2016). The data gathered by studying various external morphological characteristics was statistically assessed by using the one-factor analysis of variance (ANOVA). The research findings revealed that a total of eleven earthworm species classified under two families and six genera were recognized. Moreover, a significant statistical relationship (Tukey test, P < 0.05) was recorded between each of the morphological variables like length, weight and total number of segments. Eisenia fetida was the dominant species of Poonch division as it was reported from most of the sites, whereas Amynthus hupeiensis and Perionyx excavatus were not previously reported in the country. By keeping in mind the ecological significance of earthworms, the country’s research centers should focus on preparing an atlas for advance identification in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]