enchytraeid

enchytraeid (plural enchytraeids)

1. (zoology) Any of the microdrile oligochaetes of the family Enchytraeidae, which resemble small earthworms.
   • 1999, M. V. Reddy, Management of Tropical Agroecosystems and the Beneficial Soil Biota‎, page 218:

     The effect of fertilizers on the diversity of enchytraeids has not been studied but occurrence of high abundance of enchytraeids after organic manure application has been noted.

   • 2006, Eldor A. Paul, Soil Microbiology, Ecology and Biochemistry‎, page 177:

     Enchytraeids probably consume and further process larger fecal pellets and castings of soil macrofauna, such as collembolans and earthworms (Zachariae, 1984; Rusek, 1985).

   • 2011, Pilar Rodriguez, Trefor B. Reynoldson, The Pollution Biology of Aquatic Oligochaetes, page 21,

     The exclusion of enchytraeids from many treatises and aquatic oligochaetes keys cannot be justified as approximately one third of the total enchytraeid species (Martin et al. 2008) inhabit aquatic habitats.