Life cycle of Lampito mauritii (Kinberg) in comparison with Eudrilus eugeniae (Kinberg) cultured on different substrates.

ABSTRACT

Growth (length, biomass and mean growth rate) and reproduction (total duration, clitellum appearance, clitellum completion, cocoon commencement, rate of cocoon production, incubation period, hatching success and mean number of hatching per cocoon) of indigenous Lampito mauritii (Kinberg) in comparison with exotic Eudrilus eugeniae (Kinberg) cultured on three feed substrates-clay loam soil, cowdung and pressmud (filter cake) have been studied over a period of 360 days under laboratory conditions (30 +/- 2 degrees C, 60-65% moisture). There is a positive relationship between length and biomass of both worms cultured on three feed substrates throughout the period of study The decrease of worm length and biomass observed slightly on 63-70th days in Lampito mauritii and 42-49th days in Eudrilus eugeniae cultured on three fed substrates are the results of the onset of cocoon production. After 270 days both worms in all these fed substrates show decreasing trends of length and biomass which are due to continued reproduction and aging. Among the three fed substrates, pressmud supports significantly maximum worm length and biomass (between 90-130 days in Eudrilus eugeniae and 110-170 days in Lampito mauritii), earlier attainment of sexual maturity (between 51-76 days in Limpito mauritii and 27-37 days in Eudrilus eugeniae), earlier commencement of cocoon production (37.7 +/- 0.0 days in Eudrilus eugeniae and 76.4 +/- 0.10 days in Limpitomauritii), shorter incubation periods (16.3 +/- 0.28 days in Eudrilus eugeniae and 26.7 +/- 0.81 days in Limpito mauritii), more hatching success (98% in Limpito mauritii and 86% in Eudrilus eugeniae), more mean number of hatchling percocoon (3.2 + 0.03 in Limpito mauritii and 2.6 +/- 0.06 in Eudrilus eugeniae) and shorter duration of life cycle (108.8 +/- 0.07 days in Limpito mauritii and 60.2 +/- 0.09 days in Eudrilus eugeniae) than cowdung and clay loam soil.