TY - JOUR AU - Rota, Emilia AU - Bartoli, Marco AU - Laini, Alex PY - 2014/05/15 Y2 - 2024/03/28 TI - First time in Italy. Is the elusive aquatic megadrile Sparganophilus Benham, 1892 (Annelida, Clitellata) accelerating its dispersal in Europe? JF - Journal of Limnology JA - J Limnol VL - 73 IS - 3 SE - Original Articles DO - 10.4081/jlimnol.2014.939 UR - https://www.jlimnol.it/jlimnol/article/view/jlimnol.2014.939 SP - AB - <p>During field studies in River Mincio, northern Italy, populations of the aquatic megadrile <em>Sparganophilus</em> <em>tamesis</em> Benham, 1892 were discovered, the worms being particularly abundant among the roots of <em>Vallisneria spiralis</em> L. This finding represents the first record of Sparganophilidae in Italy. A morphological account, with photographs of worms and cocoons, as well as field and laboratory remarks on density, behaviour and habitat, are provided. The view of <em>S. tamesis</em> being senior synonym to <em>S. eiseni</em> Smith, 1895 is favoured, as is the hypothesis of the arrival and spreading of <em>Sparganophilus</em> in Europe amongst the roots of water plants. </p> ER -