| Anisochaeta gigantea | |
|---|---|
 | |
| North Auckland Giant Worm (Anisochaeta gigantea) | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Annelida |
| Clade: | Pleistoannelida |
| Clade: | Sedentaria |
| Class: | Clitellata |
| Order: | Opisthopora |
| Family: | Megascolecidae |
| Genus: | Anisochaeta |
| Species: | A. gigantea |
| Binomial name | |
| Anisochaeta gigantea (Benham, 1906) | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Anisochaeta gigantea (formerly Spenceriella gigantea or Celeriella gigantea), [1] [2] [3] commonly called the North Auckland worm, is a rare giant annelid of the family Megascolecidae, endemic to New Zealand.
The North Auckland worm is New Zealand's largest, reaching 1.4 m (4 ft 7 in) long, and 11 mm (0.43 in) in diameter. Its burrows are up to 20 mm (0.79 in) in diameter, and reach a depth of 3.5 m (11 ft). [4] It has been described as feeling "unshaven", likely due to the number of chaetae, about 60, on each segment. [5] [6] Dorsally, the worm is purplish‑red anterior to the clitellum, with a distinct purple streak running along the dorsal midline; the remainder of the body is a paler reddish colour. [7] This colouration fades when preserved to white with purplish grey features. [8]
A. gigantea was described in 1905 and placed in the genus Diporochaeta by William Benham, a Professor at the University of Otago. The description was based upon a single specimen sent to him by Mr. R. Shakespear, the caretaker on Hauturu [9] . The type locality is from a plateau 200 metres (660 ft) above sea level in forest subsoil on Little Barrier Island. [4] Under both the New Zealand Threat Classification System and IUCN Redlist it is classed a "Data Deficient". [10]
A. gigantea has been recorded throughout North Auckland, including offshore islands such as Little Barrier Island and the Hen and Chicken Islands, and extending as far north as Kaitaia. [11] [12] [13] .
