TITLE:
Morphological Characterization of Two Categories of Earthworms under the Agroecological Conditions of Mali
AUTHORS:
Seydou Sangaré, Fousseyni Sidibé, Astan Traoré, Moussa Tangara
KEYWORDS:
Morphological Characterization, Earthworms, Agro-Pedo-Ecology, Mali
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Access Library Journal,
Vol.13 No.9,
September
30,
2026
ABSTRACT: This study, conducted in Badougou Djoliba, aimed to investigate the optimal conditions for vermicomposting and to characterize the morphological traits of two earthworm species: the exotic or manure worm, Eisenia foetida, and the local strain, Eisenia eugeniae, within the agropedological context of Mali. Manure was collected from domestic livestock on peri-urban farms in Bamako. Two experimental setups were implemented: one in a natural environment and the other under controlled conditions. During the vermicomposting process, three individuals of each species, E. foetida and E. eugeniae, were introduced into the pre-compost bins for 40 days. Five substrates were tested for vermiculture: 100% urban waste, a mixture of 5% poultry manure and 95% urban waste, a combination of 2/3 plant waste and 1/3 urban waste, a mixture of 1/3 plant waste and 2/3 urban waste, and bare soil. Additionally, a control group without earthworms was included. The results indicated that the viability of the worms in the small ruminant manure mixed with soil was 100% for the proportions FPR-1/1, FPR-1/3, and FPR-1/4. In contrast, a viability rate of 67% was observed in the FPR-1/0 proportion. In the poultry manure mixed with soil, a viability rate of 0% was recorded for the FPR-1/1 proportion, resulting in three deaths. However, a viability rate of 67% was noted for the FV-1/3 proportion, with only one mortality, while the FV-1/4 proportion showed a 100% viability rate, with no deaths reported. In terms of vermiculture, a 100% viability rate was observed for both E. eugeniae and E. foetida in the 100% urban waste treatment. Similarly, a viability rate of 100% was achieved for both earthworm species in the 2/3 plant waste and 1/3 urban waste mixture. E. eugeniae also exhibited a 100% viability rate in the 1/3 plant waste and 2/3 urban waste mixture. This study successfully characterized the observable, structural, and measurable morphological traits of the earthworm species by analyzing their shape, structure, and physical variability in an agro-pedo-ecological environment.