A microscope- auxiliary device to profile the setae patterns of earthworm species; a study on Eudrilus eugeniae,...

The microscope is an essential tool for biological research. This study introduces a microscope auxiliary device designed to study the morphology of segments in annelid species such as earthworms. The novel, lightweight, portable device enables omni-surface visualization of embedded samples through extensive rotational capabilities. The research details the device design, working principles, and demonstrates its application by capturing fluorescent images of setae patterns in four earthworm species: Eudrilus eugeniae, Lampito mauritii, Pontoscolex corethrurus, and Perionyx ceylanensis. These species represent two distinct setae arrangements: lumbricine (E. eugeniae, P. corethrurus) and perichaetine (L. mauritii, P. ceylanensis). Setae patterns were comprehensively analyzed by measuring the inter-setae arc-distance using the mathematical algorithm, "Euler's approximation" for elliptical arc length. The results demonstrate that the device effectively documents the cylindrical structure of specimens, providing detailed morphological information not readily obtainable with conventional microscopy methods.