BURROWING BEHAVIOR OF THE NEW-ZEALAND INDIGENOUS EARTHWORM OCTOCHAETUS-MULTIPORUS (MEGASCOLECIDAE, OLIGOCHAETA)

Mature Octochaetus multiporus in pots of sieved soil created a network of burrows with a diameter of about 10 mm which did not open to the s urface. Several chambers 15 to 20 mm wide and 20 to 50 mm long were fo und within the burrow network; some worms were found curled within the se chambers which also contained a quantity of loose cast material. Oc tochaetus multiporus responded to the presence of plants by burrowing nearer to the surface under white clover and nearer to bottom of the p ot under chicory.