Moving the Earth:
Worm Heroes
Which Personality are You?
Epigeic
- Compost and Soil-Surface
- Commitment issues (non-permanent burrows)
- Darker pigmentation (UV protection and camouflage)
- Short (1-18 cm)
- Strong, thick muscle layers
- Quick movement
Endogeic
- Topsoil
- Semi-permanent burrows
- Lighter than epigeic
- Medium length (2.5-30 cm)
- Average muscle layers
- Average movement
Anecic
- Subsoil (up to 3 m under the surface)
- CLINGY (Permanent burrows)
- Pale
- LONG (3 cm - 1.4 m)
- Weak
- Slow, sluggish movement.
Looking for a Home?
You probably want to live at or under the surface of the soil, after all, worms eat decaying organic matter. There are two factors that influence worm habitats: vegetation and climate. As far as we know, worms aren't die-hard fans of super dry or cold areas. Also, more vegetation means more organic matter. Party hard!
Adaptation Artists
Worms on the surface of the soil are darker, for UV protection and camouflage. Worms living deep in the ground are paler, since there isn't much to hide from like the worms on top. Worms living on the top layers of soil also tend to be more muscularly developed (thicker muscle layers) and move faster. This is most likely because of predators. The deeper into the ground, the weaker, paler, and longer the worm.
Worms also have setae, tiny bristles, to help them move.
They cannot see or hear, but sense vibrations.
Makin' Babies
Worms have both male and female reproductive organs. However, it takes two to tango. Worms cannot, even if they really want to, impregnate themselves. Basically, two worms play sperm hockey, and fertilize their cocoons. After 2-3 weeks, 1-5 worms hatch.
Fun Facts
- Earthworms move by using setae (tiny hairs). It anchors the worm to the dirt, allowing the worm to pull their rears forward.
- Worms have a closed circulatory system. They don't have lungs, so they absorb oxygen from the soil.
- Worms only have 3 main blood vessels that run through the worm's body: the aortic arches, the dorsal blood vessel and the ventral blood vessel. These run through the worm's body.