Current Status of Earthworm Fauna (Clitellata: Megadrili) of Parambikulam Tiger Reserve, within the western Ghats ff Kerala, India

A study of the earthworms in the Parambikulam Tiger Reserve, the first in nearly a hundred years, has been completed. Out of the 16 earthworm species recorded, 10 are new to the reserve. With these findings, the total number of earthworm species identified in the reserve now stands at 24, representing 19.2% of the total earthworm fauna known from Kerala. This study did not find 6 species previously reported in the area. Four endemic species collected from additional locations within the reserve include Megascolex cochinensis phaseolus, M. konkanensis longus, M. triangularis, and Notoscolex hastatus. Among the ten new additions, except for Drawida ghatensis, D. travancorensis, and Megascolex kavalaianus, the remaining seven species are either exotic or native peregrine species. Exotic invasive earthworm species have been found to penetrate deeply into the natural habitats of the Parambikulam Tiger Reserve, potentially affecting the distribution of native earthworm species.