COMPARATIVE INVESTIGATION OF THE REPRODUC TIVE POTENTIAL OF LOCAL-POPULATIONS OF THE COMPOST WORM EISENIA-FOETIDA (SAVIGNY, 1926) (OLIGOCHAETA, LUMBRICIDAE)

The evaluation of reproductive parameters was carried out on worms Eis enia foetida from 16 local populations collected in different geograph ical regions of Russia and adjacent territories. Compost worms were sa mpled from vermicultures and wild aggregations inhabiting different ki nds of dung and municipal wastes. Rates of the cocoon production, numb er of embryos per cocoon, embryonal survival, mass and size of cocoons and longevity of embryonal development were used for the comparative investigations. Essential differences in rates and rhythms of the coco on formation and embryonal mortality were found in different populatio ns. As a result the hatchling production per adult worms were found to differ to 6-7 times. A few local populations with the reproduction ch aracteristics comparable with those of the <<red californian worm>> in vermicultures were revealed.