According to ancient myths, earthworms have fallen from the sky with rain. Many can be discovered creeping along the ground after a storm, but this is because the snake-like creatures venture out of their burrows to find mates since their mobility is much better on wet ground. Earthworms have no lungs, but by breathing through their skin, they can survive short periods of time in water.

Positive Phase Contrast


Negative Phase Contrast

Earthworms are simultaneous hermaphrodites, with each worm having complete male and female reproductive systems. Although earthworms possess ovaries and testes, they have a protective mechanism against self fertilization and can only function as a single sex at one time. Therefore, they still need to mate with another worm in order to produce offspring. Young earthworms are faithful, but miniature, replicas of the parents and become sexually mature in about three months.

Excellent self-healers, earthworms have the ability to regenerate a portion of the body when it is removed or damaged. If the posterior section of a worm is removed, then either a head or tail is regenerated. However, if a head grows back instead of the original tail, then the double-headed worm will starve. Anterior regeneration always results in a tail section being reproduced. Remarkably, portions of several worms can be united to make a single long worm.