Aporrectodea rosea (Savigny, 1826)

Description - External - Body length 20 -110 mm, diameter 2-4 mm, 100 -150 segments. Colour usually pale, sometimes reddish. Head epilobous, first dorsal pore between 4/5-5/6. Glandular tumescence usually on 9,10 ,12,13,24, ab, 9,10,11,12 cd. Setae closely paired, setal arrangement after the clitellum: aa:ab:bc:cd:dd= 19:1.5:9:1:35. Clitellum extends on segments (23), 24,25,(26)-32,33 saddle-shaped. Tubercles usually on 29-31 sometimes on 29-30, 1/2 31. Male pore on 15, great slit between setae b-c, surrounded with a glandular crescent, frequently protruding into the neighbouring segments.

Internal - Dissepiments 5/6-9/10 slightly thickened. Crop in 15-16, gizzards in 17-18. Two pairs of testes free in 10 , 11, and four pairs of seminal vesicles in 9-12, rarely two pairs in 11,12. Spermathecae two pairs in 9/10 , 10 /11 open in the mid-dorsal line. Calciferous glands in 10 -12 with lateral pouches in 10 . Excretory system holonephridial. Nephridial bladders "U" shaped with backwards oriented ental part. Cross section of longitudinal muscle layer are of pennate type.

Distribution - Ap. rosea is a typical synanthrop species. It could be found in pastures, gardens and forest as well. It has almost no preferences towards soil type, but usually more abundant in moist soils. According to the Bouche's ecological characterization Ap. rosea belongs to the endogeic group, living and feeding in the mineral soil layer. Ap. rosea native in the Palearctis but widely introduced extratropically by men. Its present range comprises Europe, North America, South America, Africa, Asia, and Australia. It's different partenogenetic morphs are frequently described as separate species.