Everything Earthworms
I'm Diggin' It
Objectives
2) Focus on the organs, structures, and functions of the digestive system
Background Information
Habitat: underground
Predator: birds, lizards, moles
Food: soil, dirt
Adaptations: streamlined body aids in movement; hermaphroditic; breathing through a mucus coating
Dissection!
Worm Cladogram
System Focus:
Throw Your Pharynx in the Air Like You Just Don't Care
The digestive system of a worm maintains homeostasis for the rest of the body. However, apart from sustaining the body, the digestive system doesn't really work closely with any other systems.
Cross Content:
Human Impact
Taxonomy
Evolution
Researchers have suggested that segmented worms evolved when chains of worms did not separate correctly, or that the genetic code may have repeated its design several times over to produce a worm as such.
Interesting Information
- Worms are coaxed into coming up to the surface by raindrops beacus they don't want to get suffocated by the damp soil. This is also why birds peck at the ground (to make the words think it is raining.)
- they can be found on every continent, except Antartica
- they are hermaphrodites (seminal vesicles and seminal receptacles)
- baby worms are hatched from cocoons that are smaller than a grain of rice
Punny Earthworm Jokes
What did the worm say to the other when he was late home?
>Where in earth have you been?
Why did the worm have 5 lovers?
>It had 5 hearts.