''Tubifex'' is a
cosmopolitan
Cosmopolitan may refer to:
Food and drink
* Cosmopolitan (cocktail), also known as a "Cosmo"
History
* Rootless cosmopolitan, a Soviet derogatory epithet during Joseph Stalin's anti-Semitic campaign of 1949–1953
Hotels and resorts
* Cosmopoli ...
genus of
tubificid
The Naididae (including the former family Tubificidae) are a family of clitellate oligochaete worms like the sludge worm, ''Tubifex tubifex''. They are key components of the benthic communities of many freshwater and marine ecosystems. In fre ...
annelid
The annelids (Annelida , from Latin ', "little ring"), also known as the segmented worms, are a large phylum, with over 22,000 extant species including ragworms, earthworms, and leeches. The species exist in and have adapted to various ecol ...
s that inhabits the sediments of
lakes,
rivers and occasionally sewer lines. At least 13 species of ''Tubifex'' have been identified, with the exact number not certain, as the species are not easily distinguishable from each other.
Reproduction
''Tubifex'' worms are
hermaphroditic: each individual has both male (testes) and female (ovaries) organs in the same animals. These minute reproductive organs are attached to the ventral side of the body wall in the celomic cavity. In mature specimens, the reproductive organs are clearly found on the ventral side of the body.
Copulation and cocoon formation
Although the ''Tubifex'' worms are
hermaphrodites, the male and female organs become mature at different times; thus
self-fertilization is avoided, and cross-fertilization is encouraged. Two mature ''Tubifex'' worms undergo copulation by joining ventral and anterior surfaces together with their anterior ends pointing opposite directions. Thus, the spermathecal opening of each worm is nearer to the male
apertures of another worm. The
penial setae of one worm penetrate into the tissues of other worm and thus the
conjugants are held together. At this stage, the sperm of one worm is passed into the
spermathecae of the other worm.
After copulation, they separate and begin to produce egg cases containing eggs, called cocoons. The cocoon is formed around the
clitellum
The clitellum is a thickened glandular and non-segmented section of the body wall near the head in earthworms and leeches, that secretes a viscid sac in which eggs are stored. It is located near the anterior end of the body, between the fourteent ...
as a soft, box-like structure into which the ova and the sperm are deposited. Soon, the ''Tubifex'' worm withdraws its body from the egg case by its backward wriggling movements.
Culturing ''Tubifex''
''Tubifex'' are raised commercially, mainly for fish food: the reddish ''Tubifex tubifex''. ''Tubifex'' can be easily cultured on mass scale in containers with 50- to 75-mm thick pond mud at the bottom, blended with decaying vegetable matter and masses of bran and bread. Continuous, mild water flow is to be maintained in the container, with a suitable drainage system. After the arrangement of the system, the container is inoculated with ''Tubifex'' worms which can be obtained from nearby muddy canals or sewage canals. Within 15 days, clusters of worms develop and can be removed with mud in masses. When worms come to the surface due to lack of oxygen, they are collected and washed under brisk stream of water to remove residual mud attached to their bodies.
Live food
''Tubifex'' worms are often used as a live food for fish, especially tropical fish and certain other freshwater species. They have been a popular food for the aquarium trade almost since its inception, and gathering them from open sewers for this purpose was quite common until recently. Most are now commercially obtained from the effluent of fish hatcheries, or from professional worm farms.
Using these worms as a live food has come with certain problems over the years. When harvested from sewers, open bodies of water, and even from hatcheries, they may be infected with various diseases. This risk can be partially solved by keeping the worms under brisk running water until they have voided the contents of their digestive systems. However, the worms can still be vectors for
whirling disease, which can affect salmonids. Additionally, they are very difficult for some fish to obtain in the wild, so certain fish, such as Rift Valley cichlids, will obsessively consume them until they make themselves sick. Additionally, while the worms have good-quality proteins, they also are very fattening, and are poor in certain important
amino acids. Fish fed on them can grow rapidly, but may be less healthy and colorful than fish with more balanced diets. Lastly, in poorly cleaned aquaria, ''Tubifex'' can become established as a pest species, covering the bottom of the aquarium in a thick carpet which may be considered unsightly.
Tubifex in sewers
In 2009, a large blobby mass made of colonies of ''Tubifex'' was found to be living in the
sewers of
Raleigh,
North Carolina. Revealed by a
snake camera inspection of sewer piping under the Cameron Village shopping center, videos of the "creature" went
viral
Viral means "relating to viruses" (small infectious agents).
Viral may also refer to:
Viral behavior, or virality
Memetic behavior likened that of a virus, for example:
* Viral marketing, the use of existing social networks to spread a marke ...
on
YouTube in 2009 under the name "Carolina poop monster".
''Tubifex'' species
The genus includes the following species:
*''
Tubifex blanchardi'' (
Vejdovský, 1891)
*''
Tubifex harmani'' Loden, 1979
*''
Tubifex costatus'' (
Claparède, 1863)
*''
Tubifex ignotus'' (Stolc, 1886)
*''
Tubifex kryptus'' Bülow, 1957
*''
Tubifex longipenis
''Tubifex'' is a cosmopolitan genus of tubificid annelids that inhabits the sediments of lakes, rivers and occasionally sewer lines. At least 13 species of ''Tubifex'' have been identified, with the exact number not certain, as the species ...
'' (Brinkhurst, 1965)
*''
Tubifex montanus
''Tubifex'' is a cosmopolitan genus of tubificid annelids that inhabits the sediments of lakes, rivers and occasionally sewer lines. At least 13 species of ''Tubifex'' have been identified, with the exact number not certain, as the species ...
'' Kowalewski, 1919
*''
Tubifex nerthus
''Tubifex'' is a cosmopolitan genus of tubificid annelids that inhabits the sediments of lakes, rivers and occasionally sewer lines. At least 13 species of ''Tubifex'' have been identified, with the exact number not certain, as the species ...
''
Michaelsen
Michaelsen is a Danish patronymic surname meaning "son of Michael". There are related English, German, Norwegian, Swedish and other Scandinavian spellings of this name. People with the name Michaelsen include:
People
* Gottfried Michaelsen, aka ...
, 1908
*''
Tubifex newaensis
''Tubifex'' is a cosmopolitan genus of tubificid annelids that inhabits the sediments of lakes, rivers and occasionally sewer lines. At least 13 species of ''Tubifex'' have been identified, with the exact number not certain, as the species ...
'' (Michaelsen, 1903)
*''
Tubifex newfei
''Tubifex'' is a cosmopolitan genus of tubificid annelids that inhabits the sediments of lakes, rivers and occasionally sewer lines. At least 13 species of ''Tubifex'' have been identified, with the exact number not certain, as the species ...
'' Pickavance & Cook, 1971
*''
Tubifex pescei'' (Dumnicka 1981)
*''
Tubifex pomoricus
''Tubifex'' is a cosmopolitan genus of tubificid annelids that inhabits the sediments of lakes, rivers and occasionally sewer lines. At least 13 species of ''Tubifex'' have been identified, with the exact number not certain, as the species are ...
'' Timm, 1978
*''
Tubifex pseudogaster'' (Dahl, 1960)
*''
Tubifex smirnowi
''Tubifex'' is a cosmopolitan genus of tubificid annelids that inhabits the sediments of lakes, rivers and occasionally sewer lines. At least 13 species of ''Tubifex'' have been identified, with the exact number not certain, as the species are ...
'' Lastockin, 1927
*''
Tubifex superiorensis
''Tubifex'' is a cosmopolitan genus of tubificid annelids that inhabits the sediments of lakes, rivers and occasionally sewer lines. At least 13 species of ''Tubifex'' have been identified, with the exact number not certain, as the species are ...
'' Brinkhurst & Cook, 1971
*''
Tubifex tubifex'' (O. F. Müller , 1774)
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q7178932
Tubificina
it:Tubifex
pl:Rureczniki