Jv. Valle et al., GROWTH IN THE LABORATORY OF HORMOGASTER ELISAE (OLIGOCHAETA, HORMOGASTRIDAE), Agriculture, ecosystems & environment. Applied soil ecology, 9(1-3), 1998, pp. 111-114
Studies of the growth, at room temperature, of 32 individuals of Hormo
gaster elisae have been carried out under laboratory conditions betwee
n February 1993 and September 1995. The individuals were obtained from
cocoons collected at El Molar (Madrid, Spain) and cultured until emer
gence. Data obtained from the 32 individuals suggest a gradual growth,
whereas a selective study of individuals belonging to the same age gr
oup (emerging within a 3-month period) reveals the existence of growth
periods during the colder months alternating periods of no growth dur
ing the hottest months. A comparison between the common time period fo
r which data exist for the coetaneous groups reveals that there is a p
arallel growth pattern independent of time of hatching and weight of i
ndividuals. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V.