In the current paper we present an updated checklist of all the megadrile earthworms (Crassiclitellata: Annelida) in the world, and notes on the distribution of families worldwide. Biogeographic responses to geological phenomena including plate tectonics, as well as to past and present climate and habitat distributions, are the main factors determining the present distribution of earthworm families. A total of ca. 5,738 species/subspecies (5,406 species and 332 unique subspecies; i.e., not counting the nomino-typical subspecies) belonging to 23 families (including one non-crassiclitellate family: Moniligastridae) are currently recognized worldwide, of which three families (Tritogeniidae and Kazimierzidae from Southern Africa and Arecoidae, a new family from Brazil described herein), 35 genera and close to 1200 new taxa (including subspecies) were described in the 21st century. Nonetheless, the large number of still undescribed species will likely increase this value to well over 8,000 species. Ten families are monospecific and/or monogeneric and have a mostly restricted distribution. On the other hand, more than 87 widespread cosmopolitan species have been catalogued, some of them with important invasive potential, belonging mainly to families Lumbricidae, Acanthodrilidae, Benhamiidae, Megascolecidae, Rhinodrilidae and Ocnerodrilidae. Taxonomic housekeeping was performed for the preoccupied Rhinodrilidae genus Tairona Righi – herein substituted by Taironina nom. nov., and Guarani camaqua Rodríguez & Lima was reinstated and removed from synonymy with Criodrilus lacuum Hoffmeister, 1845, resulting in a wider definition of the Almidae family. Furthermore, Amynthas maximalis nom. nov. is proposed herein as a substitution name for the preoccupied name Amynthas maximus Qiu & Dong, 2019, and Arecoidae is proposed herein as a new monotypic family for the aquamegadrile species Areco reco Righi, Ayres & Bittencourt, 1978.

During the 1950s, Gordon E. Gates (affiliated at that time with Tall Timbers Research Station near Tallahassee, Florida, USA), initiated compilation of a catalogue of scientific names of the Oligochaeta. Gates transferred his account records to John W. Reynolds in 1972, who enlisted the assistance of David G. Cook, an aquatic biologist working in Canada, to complete this catalogue. The first volume of this catalogue, Nomenclatura Oligochaetologica—a catalogue of names, descriptions, and type specimens of the Oligochaeta [N.O.], was published by Reynolds and Cook (1976). Three supplements—Supplementum Primum (Reynolds and Cook, 1981 [N.O.S.P.]), Supplementum Secundum (Reynolds and Cook, 1989 [N.O.S.S.]), and Supplementum Tertium (Reynolds and Cook, 1993 [N.O.S.T.])—were subsequently published, completing the first volume series of this nomenclator. After the retirement of Cook, Reynolds invited Wetzel to assist in the preparation of a fourth supplement to this first volume series. In 2012, the decision was made to forgo completion of a print version for this fourth supplement, redirecting efforts to compile a second edition, specifically to restructure it for presentation as a dedicated and active website.

This is the first record of megascolecid "jumping worms" from Wellington County, Ontario. Amynthas agrestis has previously been reported from Essex, Wentworth and York Counties, and Amynthas tokioensis from Chatham-Kent and Wentworth Counties in Ontario. Finding megascolecids under sod in the middle of a lawn is believed to be a second report.

Human activities cause major ecological changes by reshuffling the spatial distribution of species. The extent to which this process affects belowground biota is a critical issue because soil organisms play a key role in ecosystem functioning and maintenance. However, the magnitude of the reshuffling of soil species remains unknown so far because of the lack of a historic baseline. Here, we begin to fill this gap with the largest spatiotemporal database of native and alien earthworms in North America. Our results reveal that the entire continent is being invaded by non-native earthworms through a variety of pathways. We show that these aliens bring novel ecological functions in most regions and thus represent a major threat to native ecosystems. Our findings demonstrate that earthworms, and most likely other soil organisms, represent a major but overlooked pool of invasive species with strong ecological impact. They need to be better integrated in control and mitigation strategies.