Earthworm
Earthworms are found in North America and Western Asia. They are mostly found in the United States and are usually not found in Europe. Earthworms are usually seven to eight centimeters long. Earthworms’ bodies are made up of ring-like segments called annuli. These segments are covered in setae, or small bristles, which the worm uses to move and burrow. The nickname for Earthworms are "night crawlers." They are called night crawlers because they are normally seen feeding above ground at night. During the day Earthworms burrow. When they burrow they consume soil, extracting nutrients from decomposing organic matter like leaves and roots. Earthworms are very important to soil because, they transport nutrients and minerals from below to the surface.
Earthworms mate on the surface, and they cannot self fertilize. They mate or reproduce by the two worms pointing in two different directions. Sperm is passed from one worm to the other and stored in sacs, and a cocoon is formed. A cocoon can have up to five worms and will hatch in two to three weeks. |