Dendrobaena veneta (Rosa, 1886)

Description – External – Body length 30 – 110 mm, diameter 4 – 8 mm, 54 – 150 segments. Colour striped red-violet on dorsal and paler on ventral. Head epilobous, first dorsal pore in 5/6. Glandular tumescence usually on 28 – 32 ab. Setae distantly standing, setal arrangement after the clitellum: aa:ab:bc:cd:dd= 3:1.5:2:1.7:7. Clitellum usually on segments 26, 27, (38) – (32), 33, 34 saddle–shaped. Tubercles on 30 – 31. Male pore on 15 between setae b–c, great frequently protruding into neighboring segments. Nephridial pores irregularly alternate between setal lines b – d.

Internal –Dissepiments 10/11 – 12/13 thickened. Crop in 15–16, gizzards in 17–18. Two pairs of testes in 10, 11, enclosed in perioesophageal testis sac (always?). Four (rarely three or two) pairs of seminal vesicles in 9, 11, 12 (or 9 – 12, or 11, 12). Spermathecae two pairs in 9/10, 10/11, open near to the mid–dorsal line. Calciferous lamellae in ½ 10 – 11, diverticulum lacking. Last pair of lateral hearts in 11 accompanied by a pair of small comissures in segment 12. Excretory system holonephridial. Nephridial bladders are of tube-shaped. Cross section of longitudinal muscle layer is of fasciculated type.

Remarks – D. veneta is a widely distributed peregrine species with high morphological variability probably of east–Mediterranean origin. In central – and western –Europe it could mostly be found in composts and dung heaps.