Komarekiona
| Komarekiona | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Annelida |
| Clade: | Pleistoannelida |
| Clade: | Sedentaria |
| Class: | Clitellata |
| Order: | Opisthopora |
| Suborder: | Crassiclitellata |
| Family: | Komarekionidae G. E. Gates, 1974 |
| Genus: | Komarekiona G. E. Gates, 1974 |
| Species: | K. eatoni |
| Binomial name | |
| Komarekiona eatoni G. E. Gates, 1974 | |
Komarekiona eatoni, or the Kentucky earthworm, is a terrestrial species of nearctic Annelid found in the southwestern United States, especially near the Appalachian Mountains. Komarekionidae is one of the few endemic Megadrile families in North America north of Mexico.
It is the only species in the family Komarekionidae and the genus Komarekiona. The genus and family are named in honor of a Director of Tall Timbers Research Station and Land Conservancy.
Notably, the worms that live to the east of the Great Smoky Mountains reproduce sexually and those west of the mountains reproduce by parthenogenesis.
The species was declared threatened in 2013, but since then has been considered data deficient.