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Earthworm

Lumbricus terrestris

Photo by keithp2012
Published on Project Noah
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Field Notes

Description:

Earthworms are also called megadriles (or big worms), as opposed to the microdriles (or small worms). The basic body plan of an earthworm is a tube, the digestive system, within a tube, the muscular slimy, moist outer body. Earthworms are hermaphrodites. Young are hatched from cocoons. Earthworms eat dead and decomposing leaves, decaying roots, and other bits of plant material, or detritus (dih-TRY-tuhs), in the soil.

Habitat:

Under logs,rocks,soil,leaf litter.

Notes:

They attain full size in about one year, sometimes sooner. Scientists predict that the average lifespan under field conditions is 4–8 years, still most garden varieties live only one to two years.

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Photographed
PublishedSeptember 10, 2010

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