The Adventures of Herman!

My name is Dessa and I am a world renowned earthworm advocate looking to spread awareness about how I’m compelling these creatures are and how critical they are for our environment. Today I an having an interview with the WildLife News Channel to explain some of the greatest earthworm questions speeding around out there right now.

Question #1 Reporter: When and how did earthworms arrive in North America? Dessa: Earthworms arrived in North American in the 1600’s and 1700’s, by European settlers who would bring plants with them from their home countries.

Question #2 Reporter: Why is it difficult to find fossil evidence for Earthworms? Dessa: It is difficult to find worms fossils because they are completely soft bodied animals, which means that they have no bones, therefore it is hard to recognize their fossils as anything at all.

Question #3 Reporter: What is the primary form of fossil evidence for Earthworms and how old do they suggest that the annelid phylum dates back to? Dessa: The primary form of fossil evidence for earthworms are “trace fossils”, which are tunnels in rocks that may be burrows that were formed when the worms wiggled through the sand. These fossils suggest that phylum Annelid date back to 500 million years ago.

Question #4 Reporter: What is the complete scientific classification for the earthworm being considered in this virtual dissection? Dessa: Scientific Classification- Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Annelid Class: Oligochaeti Order: Opisthopora Family: Lambricihae Genus: Eisenia Species: Fetida

Question #5 Reporter: What are the scientific terms for head and tail/rear end? Dessa: Scientific terms for head is anterior, and the term for tail is posterior

Question #6 Reporter: Please define segment versus setae. Dessa: Segments are rings that circle around the worms body and are connected together, covering the worm from it’s mouth to it’s anus. Adult worms have 120-170 segments. Setae are very thin bristles that surround each segment, which help the worm move.

Question #7 Reporter: Referring to your unit notes, what is the function of the clitellum? Dessa: Clitellum is where the female reproductive organs are located, it is a thin band that is close to the anterior part of the worm. It holds the worms eggs and mucus to protect the sperm.

Question #8 Reporter: Where specifically is the prostomium found and what is its function? Dessa: The Prostomium is found at the most anterior part of the worm, and it is a flap of skin that hangs over it’s mouth. It prevents objects that the worm does not want getting into it’s body from getting inside. It acts as a large upper lip.

Question #9 Reporter: How many "hearts" does an earthworm have, and referring to your unit notes, what is the scientific name for an earthworm's heart? Dessa: Earthworms have five hearts, and their scientific name is pseudo-hearts. They are five pairs of branches that connect the two vessels together behind the head region. They are very primitive hearts, but still work with the same idea as our hearts.

Question #10 Reporter: Please explain how circular and longitudinal muscles work together to coordinate earthworm movement. Dessa: Earthworms contain both circular muscles and longitudinal muscles that work together to coordinate their movement. The circular muscles tighten up, stretching their body out very long and skinny, and then the longitudinal muscles squeeze the front end forward. Next, the longitudinal muscles towards the posterior end of the animal squeeze together and help move the rear end of the body towards the front end. This is how earthworms are able to move.

Question #11 Reporter: Referring to your unit notes, please explain the function of the crop and gizzard. Dessa: The crop and the gizzard are part of the worms digestive system. The function of the crop is to store food temporarily, where it then will be passed along to the gizzard where muscles mechanically break the food down.

Question #12 Reporter: How does an earthworm exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide with the atmosphere and what key condition must exist for it to do so? Dessa: Earthworms exchange and carbon dioxide with the atmosphere by the process of diffusion, as they have no specialized respiratory organs. Oxygen and carbon dioxide diffuse through their skin and into blood vessels. This process can only happen when their skin is wet, this is why worms must stay moist to survive.

Question #13 Is Herman likely a male or female? Please explain, and what is the scientific term for animals that have reproductive capabilities such as Herman? Rhetorical question: Why do you think they named the worm Herman? Herman is a hermaphrodite, meaning that they are both a boy and a girl. Earthworms contain both male and female reproductive organs. Herman contains a eggs that are stored in the clitellum with all of the other female reproductive organs, but Herman’s clitellum also contains mucus to protect their sperm. Their sperm is made and held in Herman’s testis. If you split the name Herman into two parts is makes Her-Man, the name is very fitting for earthworms as it contains both genders.

Question #14 Reporter: Please explain briefly how earthworms reproduce. Dessa: Since earthworms have both male and female reproductive organs then the process is the same for all earthworms. They both contain a clitellum which contains the female reproductive organs. When two worms line up against each other, facing opposite directions, the two worms will excrete a large amount of mucus which forms around both of their bodies. Next, both of the worms will ejaculate sperm from the male sex organs into this slime tube, and it is deposited into the other worm. The sperm is passed from one worm to the other and stored in separate sacs. A caccoon forms around each other their clitellum. As the two worms move apart from one another and out of the caccoon of mucus, the the sperm and eggs are deposited into the caccoon.

Question #15 Reporter: Please explain why earthworms as referred to as one of nature's top "soil scientists”. Dessa: Earthworms are referred to as one of nature’s top “soil scientists”, because of the number of things that earth worms are responsible for throughout the soil. They increase the amount of air and water into the soil, they break down organic material that is found throughout the soil, like leaves and apple cores. There feces is a very valuable type of fertilizer, and they turn the soil which means they mix the organic material they lies near the surface with the soil deep below. There are all the things that help grow healthy plants all around us.

Question #16 Reporter: How many earthworms may be found in an acre of land? Dessa: There can be more than one million earth worms in one acre of land.

Question #17 Reporter: What is the largest earthworm ever recorded? Dessa: The largest earthworm ever found was measured to be 22 feet long from it’s nose to the tip of it’s tail. It was found it South Africa.

Thank you all for tuning into my interview with The WildLife Channel, I hope you all learned something new about the magnificent earthworm species.