Pontoscolex corethrurus (Müller, 1857)

Lumbricus corethrurus Müller, 1856: 113 .

Urochaeta corethrura— Rosa 1889: 125.

Pontoscolex corethrurus— Michaelsen 1900: 425; Gates 1939: 110; Gates 1972: 54; Easton 1984: 120; Thai 1983: 121; Pham 1995c: 111; Thai 2000a: 307; Blakemore 2002: 238, Figs 3.1–3.3; Huynh & Nguyen 2004a: 115; Huynh 2005a: 172; Huynh 2005b: 20; Huynh et al. 2005: 180; Nguyen et al. 2010: 114; Pham 2010: 62; Thai 1987: 7; Thai et al. 2007: 312; Nguyen T.T. & Tran 2008: 61; Blakemore 2008; Nguyen et al. 2010: 114; Nguyen & Nguyen 2010: 123; Nguyen & Huynh 2011: 1018; Nguyen et al. 2011: 1025; Nguyen et al. 2012: 146; Nguyen 2013: 39; Nguyen 2014: 108.

Urochaeta australiensis Beddard, 1891b: 278, synonymized by Michaelsen (1900).

Pontoscolex hawaiensis Beddard, 1895a: 660, synonymized by Michaelsen (1900).

Pontoscolex corethrurus mexicana Eisen, 1896: 8, synonymized by Michaelsen (1900).

Urochaeta hystrix Perrier, 1872: 142, synonymized by Michaelsen (1900).

Pontoscolex arenicola Schmarda, 1861: 11 .

See Blakemore (2002: 238) for more synonyms.

Type locality. Brazil (Itajahy).

Type material. Unknown.

Examined material. 16 C, 17 A (CTU-EW.001.01) forest, Cat Tien NP, Tan Phu, Dong Nai, 13/10/2013, coll. Le Van Nhan; 45 C, 1 A (CTU-EW.001.05) Hon Me mountain, Hon Dat , Kien Giang, 13/11/2010, coll. Nguyen Thanh Tung .

Records from Vietnam. Widely distributed over all Vietnam.

Distribution. Pan-tropical; supposedly "the most widely distributed earthworm" (Gates 1972, Blakemore 2002).

Vietnamese name. Giun tân nhiệt đới corethru.

Remarks. The species originates from the neotropical regions and is widely distributed in the world (Gates 1972). Its wide distribution may result from human activities and possibly drifting (Blakemore 2002). The species has been considered as "the most widely distributed earthworm" (Gates 1972), but its supposed restriction to coastal areas (Stephenson 1930) is no longer true in many regions, e.g. in the Indian peninsula (Gates 1972). In Vietnam, the species has been found in high density near the beach of Phu Quoc Isl. (Thai et al. 2004).