How WORMS reproduce

earthworms They bring great benefits to the land, since they aerate it when they dig it, allowing the origin to enter the subsoil. In addition, they also enrich the soil when they eat and excrete, which means a much more suitable land for cultivation. One of the main worm reproduction myths is that they are cut in half to divide into two beings. Nothing could be further from the truth!

In this lesson from a PROFESSOR, we are going to explain in detail how do worms reproduce, so that you can better understand this fascinating and important animal for the ecosystem on planet Earth.

Index

1. What are earthworms like?
2. We tell you how worms reproduce
3. The life cycle of earthworms
4. When are worms ready to mate?

earthworms are Invertebrate animalsnot arthropods because they do not have a jointed body, like insects or crustaceans. They also do not have a hard exoskeleton, but are annelids, because of its soft, elongated body and circular section.

The annelids, like earthworms and arthropods, are evolutionarily related and come from a common ancestor. These animals can live up to 8 years, although usually They do not live more than 3 years.

Earthworms have a soft, worm-shaped body, called a vermiform, and it is divided into rings. They generally do not exceed 7 centimeters in length, although species up to 40 cm. There are some exceptions, such as the Australian giant Gippsland earthworm, which is much larger.

Although it can reach a surprising length, it is still a worm, so the diameter of its body is much finer than that of a snake of a similar length. To better move on the ground, they have setae inserted in each ring (they are like hairs), at the superficial level of their body.

earthworms they are hermaphrodites, which means they have both male and female reproductive organs. However, even if they count with both sexesthe worms need a partner in order to reproduce. We explain step by step the process of how worms reproduce.

in search of the couple

Worms, as we have mentioned before, need find a partner to reproduce, but you don't have to look too far. Any worms that come their way will do, because these animals are both male and female. worms They do not emit any type of call or scent to find a partner, but they simply meet on their way.

As long as the outside temperature is higher than 10º, all the worms will be willing to look for love. Worms can detect when another worm is approaching through the vibrations they make as they crawl.

copulation

Copulation also takes place in earthworm reproduction. When the two worms meet, they press against each other on both sides, with its head in front of the tail of the other. In its body there are 4 holes, although only 3 of them serve to keep the worms together during copulation. Yeah the worms are well attached, you can hit close to them and they will move, but they will never separate.

The last hole they have in their body is reserved for the sperm exchange and then stored for later use. This process can take up to three hours.

Fertilization

earthworms they are oviparous. The eggs will be fertilized by sperm when the worm produces a kind of slime on the clitellum (its thickest part). Then, the worm will begin to crawl through the earth, leaving behind a few slimy bags with eggs, called pupae. It is in the pupae that the eggs and sperm finally come together.

egg laying

The pupae can contain up to 15 eggs and measure up to 8mm. Inside, baby worms grow from eggs to tiny worms similar to their parents. When they are fully formed, the little worms hatch and begin to live in our world.

earthworms They populate almost every part of the world. since they are a fundamental part of the edaphic fauna. These animals can be found in Africa, South America, the Caribbean, North America, Japan, Europe, etc.

We are going to explain to you how it is life cycle of a worm so that you can see the time that passes between one process and another, of those that we have taught you.

• The two worms mate and mate
• Three days later each worm lays the pupae.
• Twenty-one days later the eggs hatch
• In ninety days the small worms that have formed in the eggs will be adults and will be ready to find a mate and mate.

Near the head of the worm is a smooth band that we call clitellum. This band is the same color as the rest of the insect's body. However, when the worm is ready to mate, the clitellum becomes quite a shade darker.

Some of the worms decide to mate on the surface, although this carries some risks for them, as they are exposed to predators. On the other hand, some worms decide to mate underground.

We hope this article has helped you understand a little better. how do worms reproduce, these animals so important to the terrestrial ecosystem. If you want to continue learning more about this animal or any other that interests you, do not hesitate to consult our biology section.

If you want to read more articles similar to How worms reproduce, we recommend that you enter our category of biology.

• Durán, L., & Henríquez, C. (2009). Growth and reproduction of the red earthworm (Eisenia foetida) in five organic substrates. Costa Rican Agronomy, 33(2), 275-281.
• Hernandez, J. A., Contreras, C., Palma, R., Sarria, J., & Pietrosemoli, S. (2002). Effect of oil palm residues on the development and reproduction of red worms (Eisenia spp). Magazine of the Faculty of Agronomy, 19(4), 304-311.