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An earthworm is a soil -dwelling terrestrial invertebrate that belongs to the phylum Annelida. The term is the common name for the largest members of the class (or subclass, depending on the author) Oligochaeta. In classical systems, they were in the order of Opisthopora since the male pores opened posterior to the female pores, although the ...
- Earthworm Profile
- Interesting Earthworm Facts
- Earthworm Fact-File Summary
The earthwormis one of the most important creatures on earth and one that engineers the very foundations of the ecology we live in. They’re slimy, wriggly, subterranean critters, but they do more for us than we realise! Earthworms literally produce fertile soil from their back ends! Their role in the ecosystem is critical, and they are prevalent in...
1. The largest worm was 21 feet long
In 1967, a colossal earthworm was found in South Africa that measured 21 ft (6.7m) long. This impressive find has blown the UK record of 15.7 inches (40cm) out of the water, but the latter, named Dave, has been immortalised in the museum database, making it possibly the largest worm called Dave in the world. 1
2. Earthworm can breathe underwater
Earthworms breathe through their skin, which is quite common in slimy, soft-bodied creatures. They’re also cold-blooded so have a very slow metabolism. These things combined allow earthworms to absorb enough oxygen from water to keep them alive for months when submerged. 2
3. There’s various theories to why earthworms come to the surface when it rains
Convential wisdom is that earthworms escape to the surface to stop drowning, however as shown in the previous fact, they can breathe underwater. Tests have actually shown they can survive being submerged in water for over two weeks. Therefore the popular drowning explanation is a myth, and researchers have proposed various other theories. These include – 1. Earthworms find it easier to travel across the surface when it’s wet (to find food, or a mate). They need to stay moist, so this is their...
Scientific Classification
1. “Longest earthworm“, (1967) Guiness World Records. 2. Carly Porter (2011), “Why Do Earthworms Surface After Rain?“, Scientific American. 3. Matt Walker (2010), “Earthworms form herds and make “group decisions”“, BBC. 4. Kevin R Butt (2009), “The mating behaviour of the earthworm Lumbricus terrestris (Oligochaeta: Lumbricidae)“, Journal of Zoology. 5. Dario J. Diaz Cosin (2010), “Reproduction of Earthworms: Sexual Selection and Parthenogenesis“, Biology of Earthworms. 6. “Earthworms“, Unive...
- Soil
- Worldwide, except arid and frozen regions
- 6 to 20 years
- 0.02” (0.5mm) to 21’ (6.7m)
The earthworm life cycle, like many others, starts with an egg. Within the egg, a young earthworm develops until it is ready to hatch. The egg is encased in an egg casing called a cocoon. The number of eggs within one cocoon can vary between species, ranging between 1 and 20 from earthworm species in the family Lumbricidae (but most species ...
Feb 16, 2024 · The Guinea worm is a parasite in rural areas of Africa 2, southwest Asia, and India with scarce clean drinking water. The worm's life cycle begins as larvae in contaminated water, moving to humans through ingestion. Once in the host's body, the larvae mature into female worms, growing up to 2-3 feet long.
Jan 18, 2015 · Earthworms have no skeleton. They’re soft, simple animals perfectly formed for the work they do. Their body is basically a muscular cylinder of ring-like segments called annuli (ANN-u-lie), which taper off at both ends. Some species have as many as 150 of them, each coated by mucus.
Earthworms are hermaphrodites, meaning an individual worm has both male and female reproductive organs. Earthworm mating typically occurs after it has rained and the ground is wet. They emerge from the soil and jut out their anterior end. They wait for another earthworm to point in the opposite direction and then breed.
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Worms do not have eyes and prefer the dark. They can sense light and dark and prefer dark conditions because they are easily damaged by UV rays and will dry out quicky. Famously hermaphroditic, earthworms are both male and female in one body, though it still takes two worms to reproduce. Hunt for worms. Earthworms are the world's unsung heroes.
