THESIS APPROVAL

Clumping behavior of L. hoffmeisteri was observed by placing worms in a
petri dish of water. Figure 16 showed cluster of this organism under stereo
microscope. They were found to be crawled and sought out for cramped
microhabitats that tend to maximize contact of the worm's body with the substrate.
Some of them used plant debris or lump of soft sediment placed in the petri dish for
gripping. Thereafter, they stretched and then wiggled their tails into the water
surrounding. These worms showed rapid response by coiling up their tails when a
sudden vibration occurred or they were stimulated by soft touch using glass rod.
Figure 16 Cluster of L. hoffmeisteri under stereo microscope, 65x.
Feeding habit of L. hoffmeisteri was appeared as shown in Figure 17.
The worms began to feed almost immediately. They seem to ingest the particle
discriminately such as small bits of plant debris mixed with a quantity of mud
contained in the petri dish. Such sediment particles and decaying materials were
gathered by the mouth at the anterior end of the worm and were passed forward
through the gut. These particles were discharged into the water as fecal pellets.
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