The Reproductive Process of Earthworms

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All earthworms are hermaphrodites which means they have both male and female reproductive organs in the one individual. When two individuals meet, Hermaphroditism makes two possible exchanges of sperm instead of one. The two Earthworms inseminate each other and after this process the eggs are produced. To complete this process takes around 24hrs.

Mating usually occurs when the ground is wet following rain. Most often Earthworms protrude the anterior end and mate with another earthworm in an adjacent burrow or emerge and travel over the surface of the ground before mating.

Depending upon the species of earthworm is to which particular segments is where the eggs and sperm are produced. Both female and male sexual openings are found near the clitellum.

When the Earthworms have finished mating they go there separate ways, however the eggs haven't been fertilised yet , its still in the Earthworm’s sperm receptacles. The egg laying process starts when the gland cells of clitellum secretes a second mucous ring that slides forward over the worm’s body. When this ring passes over the opening of the oviducts, it receives a quantity of albuminous and several ripe eggs. As the ring passes the sperm receptacles nearer the anterior end, it receives the sperm that was deposited there recently. After this the fertilisation of the eggs take place in the mucous ring. The ring containing the fertilized eggs slips past the anterior tip of the worm and closes at each end to form a sealed capsule. This is known as an ‘egg cocoon’.

The ‘egg cocoons’ are deposited in the soil and the fertilised eggs develop directly into young Earthworms. These ‘egg cocoons’ can yield up to 20 worms and they are so small it is easy to miscount them. They escape th...

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... excess calcium obtained in the food. The food is then moved into the crop, a storage organ and then to the muscular gizzard. While the food is in the muscular gizzard, the food is grinded thoroughly with the aid of very small stones that the worm has swallowed. After this process, the food is digested by juices secreted by gland cells in the intestine. Finally it is absorbed by the blood vessels in the intestinal wall and then it is distributed throughout the rest of the body.

Due to this process, the earth consumed by the worms is deposited on the surface of the ground, in the form of ‘castings’. Castings is a type of mould, as well as the burrows that the earthworm’s leave behind helps aerate the soil.. By aerating the soil it improves drainage increase its water holding capacity. By this the soil is ‘cultivated’ by being ground up in the worm’s gizzard.

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