10 Facts About Earthworms

Earthworms are commonly found in soil, eating a wide variety of organic matter.

Earthworms are hermaphrodites: each carries male and female reproductive organs.

Earthworms' brains consist of a pair of pear-shaped cerebral ganglia.

Earthworms do not have eyes ; however, they do have specialized photosensitive cells called "light cells of Hess".

Earthworms have a dual circulatory system in which both the coelomic fluid and a closed circulatory system carry the food, waste, and respiratory gases.

Earthworms have one or two pairs of testes contained within sacs.

Earthworms move through soil by expanding crevices with force; when forces are measured according to body weight, hatchlings can push 500 times their own body weight whereas large adults can push only 10 times their own body weight.

Earthworms have the ability to regenerate lost segments, but this ability varies between species and depends on the extent of the damage.

Earthworms have many internal parasites, including protozoa, platyhelminthes, and nematodes; they can be found in the worms' blood, seminal vesicles, coelom, or intestine, or in their cocoons.

Earthworms provide an excellent source of protein for fish, fowl and pigs but were used traditionally for human consumption.