What if YOU Were an Earthworm
By:Lucy Potts
Your Habitat Would Be...
Your Adaptations Would Be...
Earthworm Life Cycle
Your Life Style Would Be...
Moving- Moving around through the day would be very different if you were an earthworm from being a human. Because they don't have legs or arms, they have to adapt. First they grip the soil with their back or tail, the part farthest away from the ring near their heads. Then the worm will squeeze their circular muscles to get longer. This moves the head forward. Then they do this process with the head gripping the soil, and the worm moves forward.
Breathing- If you were a worm, you would have to keep your body very moist. This is because worms breathe through their skin. Earthworms use the mucus on their skin to breathe. The air dissolves into the mucus and then goes into the worm.
Hearing and Seeing- Earthworms have no ears. They can sense vibrations through their body though, so they know when animals are around them. These worms also have no eyes. Instead they have light receptors so that they can tell when they are in the dark vs. the light.
Heart and Brain- Earthworms have five hearts, one for each section of their body. Their circulatory system is much simpler than a humans. Most scientists believe that is because they have so many hearts. Earthworms do have a brain. It connects with nerves from their skin and muscles. They also have two different types of muscles. Their outer layer muscles are circular muscles which help them move. The inner muscles are longitudinal.
Reproduction- Earthworms do not have to be boy and girl to reproduce. All earthworms have male and female reproductive organs, but they cannot fertilize their own eggs. So they still need a mate to reproduce.
Inside an Earthworm
Bibliography
http://science.howstuffworks.com/zoology/all-about-animals/earthworm5.htm
http://www.sciencelearn.org.nz/Science-Stories/Earthworms/Niches-within-earthworms-habitat
http://images.tutorvista.com/content/excretion-and-osmoregulation/earthworm-cross-section.jpeg