As soil invertebrates with a unique digestive system, earthworms are regularly used as bioindicators and test organisms. Due to their burrowing activity and casting, earthworms are involved in the structuring of the soil. However, this way of life exposes them to different pollutants, including microplastic particles. Although the use of plastics is economically justified, it has a major impact on living organisms. In this study, the influence of different concentrations (2.5%, 5%, and 7% (w/w)) of commercial glitter as a primary source of microplastics (MPs) on mortality, growth, cocoon production, avoidance behavior, and bioaccumulation ability during a four-week exposure of the earthworm species Eisenia fetida was investigated. The mortality was higher at 5% and 7% MPs in the soil than at 2.5% and in the control (0%) after 28 days, and the number of cocoons and growth rate decreased with an increasing MP concentration. However, the earthworms did not avoid the soil with MPs. Furthermore, the dissection of the digestive system enabled the identification of MP distribution. The sections of the digestive system were additionally examined under a fluorescence microscope. The results indicated that non-selective feeding enabled the input of MPs into the earthworm’s body and, thus, into food webs.

Allolobophora (sensu lato) is one of the most controversial genera in the taxonomy of Lumbricidae. Due to its poor definition, this genus is plagued by extensive taxonomic confusion, and its generic composition and internal relationships have remained uncertain, especially in species of the Balkan Peninsula. In this study, we have combined the study of morphological data and molecular phylogenetics based on five genetic markers, regions of the nuclear 28S rRNA and mitochondrial 16S rRNA, 12S rRNA, NADH dehydrogenase (ND1) and cytochrome oxidase C subunit 1 (COI), to delimit the taxonomic status of five controversial Balkanic endemic species, Allolobophora (s.l.) dofleini, Allolobophora (s.l.) serbica, Allolobophora (s.l.) strumicae, Allolobophora (s.l.) paratuleskovi and Allolobophora (s.l.) treskavicensis, sampled in the Kopaonik Mountain. Phylogenetic analyses based on our sampling of these five species recovered a well-supported clade containing the species Allolobophora (s.l.) robusta, Allolobophora (s.l.) mehadiensis mehadiensis, Allolobophora (s.l.) sturanyi dacica, Cernosvitovia rebeli and Cernosvitovia dudichi. Based on these results and previous evidence, the aforementioned Balkanic species are transferred to a redefined Cernosvitovia. We further present a revised list of all species currently included in Cernosvitovia., which includes now 21 species and subspecies taxa, 13 of them newly combined here. Serbiona Mršić & Šapkarev, 1988 is considered a junior synonym of Cernosvitovia Omodeo, 1956.

In this paper, a list of the earthworm fauna of Bosnia & Herzegovina (Oligochaeta: Lumbricidae) is presented, including literature data, unpublished data from our collection and new data from the field. In this list, earthworm diversity, general ecology, their distribution and zoogeographical types are presented as well. The currently known earthworm fauna of Bosnia & Herzegovina is comprised of 49 species belonging to 12 genera, with Dendrobaena being the species-richest genus (11). Our zoogeographic analysis has shown presence of 9 different types of distribution. Аlmost one third of all species represent either peregrines (14 species, 28.57%) or endemic (13 species, 26.53%). A higher fraction of the endemic species belongs to the Allolobophora and Dendrobaena genera. With the 13 endemic and some Balkanic-Alpine (4), Alpine-Dinaric (2), Illyric (Western Balkans) (2) species, it is proven that 42.85% of the total lumbricidae fauna shows an autochthonous character. These results represent another confirmation of particularity of this fauna and prove the need for further research in this area.

This paper presents the currently known records on the diversity of earthworm fauna on Šar Mountain. The Šar Mt. is located in the south part of Serbia and is a part of the Šar-Pindus Mountain system. The complete list of present taxa of the family Lumbricidae in the researches area was formed by reviewing data from old collections, relevant literary sources and by its own field research in the period from 2019 to 2020. The list comprises 24 taxa, belonging to 10 genera of the family Lumbricidae. The genera with the largest number of the registered taxa are Dendrobaena (7) and Aporrectodea (5), while the genera Bimastos, Eiseniella, Helodrilus, Octodrilus and Octolasion are represented by one taxon. With respect to the zoogeographical analysis, the majority of the recorded taxa belong to the group of peregrine species (12). The endemic species are represented by two taxa and belong to the genera Dendrobaena and Helodrilus. The Balkan endemic subspecies Helodrilus balcanicus plavensis (Karaman, 1972) and illyric Dendrobaena illyrica (Cognetti, 1906), were recorded on new sites from the Šar Mt., that represent the southernmost limits of the geographical range of these species at the moment.

In this paper, we have summarized the current knowledge of earthworm fauna in North Macedonia. This list presents earthworm diversity, general ecology, distribution, and zoogeographical types for the first time. The complete list of earthworm taxa of North Macedonia comprises 59 species and subspecies, of which 57 taxa belong to the family Lumbricidae and one taxon each of the families Acanthodrilidae and Criodrilidae. Dendrobaena is the most speciose genus (18 taxa). The family Lumbricidae of North Macedonia is characterized by a large number of narrow range Balkanic endemics (9 taxa = 15.3%), together with the occurrence of broad range Balkanic endemic (7 taxa = 11.8%) and Vardar endemic species (5 taxa = 8.47%). A high representation of endemic species (35.6%) indicates a high degree of autochthonous earthworm fauna.