11 Biology

EARTHWORM
Habit and Habitat: Earthworm is a reddish brown terrestrial invertebrate. It lives in the
upper layer of moist soil. Pheretima and Lumbricus are the common Indian earthworms.

Morphology of Earthworm
Earthworm has a long cylindrical body which is divided into more than a hundred short
segments or metameres.

Dorsal Surface: There is a dark median mid-dorsal line; along the longitudinal axis; on the
dorsal surface of the body. This line marks the dorsal blood vessel.

Ventral Surface: Genital openings mark the ventral surface of the body of an earthworm.

Segments of Earthworm:

The anterior end consists of the mouth and the prostomium. Prostomium is a lobe which
serves as a covering of the mouth. It also acts as a wedge to force open cracks in the soil. The
prostomium has sensory function as well.

The first body segment is called peristomium or buccal segment. The peristomium contains
the mouth.
In a mature worm, segments 14 – 16 are covered by a prominent dark band of glandular
tissue. This band is called clitellum. Based on the relative position of clitellum, the body is
divided into three main regions, viz. preclitellar, clitellar and postclitellar segments.

Genital Openings: On the ventro-lateral sides of the inter-segmental groves; between 5th –
9th segments; four pairs of spermathecal apertures are situated. On the mid-ventral line of
14th segment, a single female genital pore is present. On the ventro-lateral sides of the 18th
segment, a pair of male genital pores is present.

Locomotion in Earthworm

There are 5 rows of S-shaped setae in each body segment. The setae are embedded in the
epidermal pits in the middle of each segment. Setae are absent in the first segment, clitellum
and last segment. Setae can be extended or retracted and facilitate locomotion.

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