Lumbricus terrestris: Difference between revisions
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|+ !colspan="2" style="min-width: | |+ !colspan="2" style="min-width:12em; text-align: center; background-color: rgb(235,235,210)|'''Scientific Classification''' | ||
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|colspan="2" |[[File:l_terrestris_2.jpg|300px|caption]] | |colspan="2" |[[File:l_terrestris_2.jpg|300px|caption]] | ||
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!style="min-width: | !style="min-width:6em; |Kingdom: | ||
|style="min-width: | |style="min-width:6em; |[[Animals|Animalia]] | ||
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!style="min-width: | !style="min-width:6em; |Phylum: | ||
|style="min-width: | |style="min-width:6em; |Annelida | ||
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!style="min-width: | !style="min-width:6em; |Class: | ||
|style="min-width: | |style="min-width:6em; |Clitellata | ||
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!style="min-width: | !style="min-width:6em; |Order: | ||
|style="min-width: | |style="min-width:6em; |Opisthopora | ||
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!style="min-width: | !style="min-width:6em; |Family: | ||
|style="min-width: | |style="min-width:6em; |Lumbricidae | ||
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!style="min-width: | !style="min-width:6em; |Genus: | ||
|style="min-width: | |style="min-width:6em; |''Lumbricus'' | ||
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!style="min-width: | !style="min-width:6em; |Species: | ||
|style="min-width: | |style="min-width:6em; |''L. terrestris'' | ||
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|colspan="2" |Source: Integrated Taxonomic Information System<ref name="ITIS">[https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=977384#null "Integrated Taxonomic Information System - Report"], ''ITIS'' USGS Open-File Report 2006-1195: Nomenclature", ''USGS'', n.d.. Retrieved 5/1/2022.</ref> | |colspan="2" |Source: Integrated Taxonomic Information System<ref name="ITIS">[https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=977384#null "Integrated Taxonomic Information System - Report"], ''ITIS'' USGS Open-File Report 2006-1195: Nomenclature", ''USGS'', n.d.. Retrieved 5/1/2022.</ref> | ||
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== Description == | == Description == | ||
[[File:L_terrestris_1.JPG| | [[File:L_terrestris_1.JPG|left|150px|thumb|An individual of the species ''L. terrestris.'']] | ||
The nightcrawler is a larger earthworm | Like all earthworms, ''L. terrestris'' is a soft-bodied, cylindrical, segmented animal<ref name="Coleman">Coleman, D. C., and D. A. Crossley, "Fundamentals of [[Soil Ecology]]. Third edition.", ''Elsevier/Academic Press, London ; San Diego, CA.'', 2018. Retrieved 3/29/2022.</ref>. The nightcrawler is a relatively larger earthworm: length averages between 110-200 mm, with a diameter of 7-10 mm. They're usually a dark brown color, with a reddish hue which fades towards the end, which is slightly flattened; the coloration pattern is referred to as being dorsally pigmented<ref name="CABI">S James, [https://www.cabi.org/isc/datasheet/109385 "Data Sheet: Lumbricus Terrestris"], ''CABI'', Invasive Species Compendium, 22/12/10. Retrieved 5/1/2022.</ref>. The puffy looking 'pad' in the middle of the worm is known as the clitellum; this is the source of secretion of mucous used during mating between ''L. terrestris'' individuals, as well as where the cocoon containing one or more embryos is secreted from<ref name="Coleman"></ref>. | ||
<br></br> | |||
''L. terrestris'' also has setae, small and stiff hair-like bristles which are used to help anchor and control the worm's movement through the soil. On ''L. terrestris'' the setae is closely paired, with some variation across the body.<ref name="CABI"></ref> | |||
== Ecology == | == Ecology == | ||
''L. terrestris'' is an anecic earthworm, one which burrows far down into the soil and | ''L. terrestris'' is an anecic earthworm, one which creates deep burrows far down into the soil<ref name="Coleman"></ref>. Earthworms in general are engineers of the surrounding environment in soil due to their close relationship with soil, and anecic earthworms are very impactful of the soil environment because of their characteristic deep burrows, which tend to be permanent<ref name="Coleman"></ref>. The burrows not only bring leaf litter down further into the soil profile, but also the earthworms deposit middens above ground, creating small areas where there are increased nutrients and soil from further below in the soil profile.<ref name="Coleman"></ref> | ||
<br></br> | |||
The soil mixing which anecic earthworms perform means that the soil horizons in which they live and interact with are known as "mull" soil horizons, which is when organic matter is extremely well mixed into the upper mineral soil. This has an extreme end to the spectrum, where the horizon is extremely granular, and characterized by organic mineral complexes which consist of earthworm casts; this is known as "vermimull"<ref name="Coleman"></ref> This is extremely common in areas where ''L. terrestris'' is abundant and an exotic species, such as Western New York. If you see small granular piles on the ground outside, this is the result of many earthworms in the area. | |||
=== Diet === | === Diet === | ||
''L. terrestris'' tends to eat the surface litter on the soil in which they live, as well as whatever they happen to eat while moving through the soil; which of course, includes the soil itself<ref name="mulci">A. Milcu, J. Schumacher, S. Scheu, "Earthworms (Lumbricus terrestris) affect plant seedling recruitment and microhabitat heterogeneity", ''Functional Ecology , Apr., 2006, Vol. 20, No. 2 (Apr., 2006), pp. 261-268''. April 2006. Retrieved 5/1/2022.</ref>. | |||
=== Reproduction === | === Reproduction === | ||
The nightcrawler is a hermaphroditic species, reproducing as most members of the Opisthopora order do. The key mechanism to remember where it concerns earthworm reproduction is simply: mucus. The earthworms arrange themselves in opposite directions, lining up their spermataphores with the other worm's spermathecal pore where the sperm will be stored in a sperm sack until it is released in a cocoon along with fertilized eggs likely to be deposited near the soil surface<ref name="worm sex">Jefferey, "Earthworm Reproduction – How Do Worms Reproduce?", TheWormPeople. April 24 2006. Retrieved 5/2/2022.</ref>. | |||
=== Effect as an Invasive Species === | === Effect as an Invasive Species === | ||
== References == | == References == | ||
<references /> | <references /> | ||
Revision as of 20:44, 2 May 2022
| |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
|---|---|
| Phylum: | Annelida |
| Class: | Clitellata |
| Order: | Opisthopora |
| Family: | Lumbricidae |
| Genus: | Lumbricus |
| Species: | L. terrestris |
| Source: Integrated Taxonomic Information System[1] | |
Lumbricus terrestris is a species of earthworm which has been distributed across a majority of the globe due to farming practices and commercial industries[2] Due to its wide distribution, the worm has a variety of common names, including nightcrawler, Canadian nightcrawler, and dewworm[1]. As an earthworm, its habits are critical to observe because of its effect on the soil structure around it. L. terrestris is thought to have originated from Europe, because its introduction occurs with European settlement; there has been some suggestions that the nightcrawler came first with the landing of the Mayflower in North America[3]. The environmental effect of this earthworm as an exotic species in North American temperate forests especially has only just started to be more intensely studied in the last three decades[2].
Description
Like all earthworms, L. terrestris is a soft-bodied, cylindrical, segmented animal[4]. The nightcrawler is a relatively larger earthworm: length averages between 110-200 mm, with a diameter of 7-10 mm. They're usually a dark brown color, with a reddish hue which fades towards the end, which is slightly flattened; the coloration pattern is referred to as being dorsally pigmented[5]. The puffy looking 'pad' in the middle of the worm is known as the clitellum; this is the source of secretion of mucous used during mating between L. terrestris individuals, as well as where the cocoon containing one or more embryos is secreted from[4].
L. terrestris also has setae, small and stiff hair-like bristles which are used to help anchor and control the worm's movement through the soil. On L. terrestris the setae is closely paired, with some variation across the body.[5]
Ecology
L. terrestris is an anecic earthworm, one which creates deep burrows far down into the soil[4]. Earthworms in general are engineers of the surrounding environment in soil due to their close relationship with soil, and anecic earthworms are very impactful of the soil environment because of their characteristic deep burrows, which tend to be permanent[4]. The burrows not only bring leaf litter down further into the soil profile, but also the earthworms deposit middens above ground, creating small areas where there are increased nutrients and soil from further below in the soil profile.[4]
The soil mixing which anecic earthworms perform means that the soil horizons in which they live and interact with are known as "mull" soil horizons, which is when organic matter is extremely well mixed into the upper mineral soil. This has an extreme end to the spectrum, where the horizon is extremely granular, and characterized by organic mineral complexes which consist of earthworm casts; this is known as "vermimull"[4] This is extremely common in areas where L. terrestris is abundant and an exotic species, such as Western New York. If you see small granular piles on the ground outside, this is the result of many earthworms in the area.
Diet
L. terrestris tends to eat the surface litter on the soil in which they live, as well as whatever they happen to eat while moving through the soil; which of course, includes the soil itself[6].
Reproduction
The nightcrawler is a hermaphroditic species, reproducing as most members of the Opisthopora order do. The key mechanism to remember where it concerns earthworm reproduction is simply: mucus. The earthworms arrange themselves in opposite directions, lining up their spermataphores with the other worm's spermathecal pore where the sperm will be stored in a sperm sack until it is released in a cocoon along with fertilized eggs likely to be deposited near the soil surface[7].
Effect as an Invasive Species
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Integrated Taxonomic Information System - Report", ITIS USGS Open-File Report 2006-1195: Nomenclature", USGS, n.d.. Retrieved 5/1/2022.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Patrick J Bohlen, Stefan Scheu, Cindy M Hale, Mary Ann McLean, Sonja Migge, Peter M Groffman, and Dennis Parkinson, "Non-native invasive earthworms as agents of change in northern temperate forests", Front Ecol Environ 2004; 2(8): 427–435, 2004. Retrieved 5/1/2022.
- ↑ Nicholas Henshue, "Earthworm Diversity", Soil Ecology: University at Buffalo, 4/6/2022. Retrieved 5/1/2022.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 Coleman, D. C., and D. A. Crossley, "Fundamentals of Soil Ecology. Third edition.", Elsevier/Academic Press, London ; San Diego, CA., 2018. Retrieved 3/29/2022.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 S James, "Data Sheet: Lumbricus Terrestris", CABI, Invasive Species Compendium, 22/12/10. Retrieved 5/1/2022.
- ↑ A. Milcu, J. Schumacher, S. Scheu, "Earthworms (Lumbricus terrestris) affect plant seedling recruitment and microhabitat heterogeneity", Functional Ecology , Apr., 2006, Vol. 20, No. 2 (Apr., 2006), pp. 261-268. April 2006. Retrieved 5/1/2022.
- ↑ Jefferey, "Earthworm Reproduction – How Do Worms Reproduce?", TheWormPeople. April 24 2006. Retrieved 5/2/2022.