Glossoscolecidae Michaelsen, 1900

Plisko, Jadwiga D. & Nxele, Thembeka C., 2015, An annotated key separating foreign earthworm species from the indigenous South African taxa (Oligochaeta: Acanthodrilidae, Eudrilidae, Glossoscolecidae, Lumbricidae, Megascolecidae, Microchaetidae, Ocnerodrilidae and Tritogeniidae), African Invertebrates 56 (3), pp. 663-663 : 686

Family Glossoscolecidae Michaelsen, 1900

Nearly 600 nominal taxa forming ca. 35 genera accounted to Glossoscolecidae are confined to the Neotropical Region. Characterised by: a lack of prostates; setae lumbricine variably placed at segments; clitellum saddle-shaped, tubercula pubertatis present; calciferous glands present. Holandric. Excretory system holoic. Typhlosole present.

Notes: In this family seven genera display an irregular arrangement in the setal rows ( Moreno 2004); amongst them is the genus Pontoscolex Schmarda, 1861 . In RSA only one species of this genus is found and the comprehensive description is given below.