earthworm: Quick Facts

Written and fact-checked by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Facts

Also Known As	angleworm

Photos and Videos

Diagram of an earthworm showing its nervous system, including labeled parts such as the cerebral ganglia, mouth, circumoesophageal connective, subesophageal ganglion, and ventral nerve cord, with an inset of the whole earthworm body.

Illustrations of various invertebrate animals are shown, including a freshwater sponge, sea anemone, sea gooseberry, planarian, whelk, sea urchin, earthworm, centipede, fly, crab spider, and crawfish.

Follow a burrowing earthworm seeking soil's moisture to protect its oxygen-collecting skin

Investigate how muscles in the body wall and small bristles enable earthworms to move through soil

See All Videos and Images →

Topics

night crawler Oriental earthworm Lumbricus oligochaete

Dig Deeper: More Articles That Discuss This Topic

annelid: Introduction

Key People

Charles Darwin

Charles Darwin

British naturalist

Mute swan with cygnet. (birds)

Match the Baby Animal to Its Mama Quiz

Sea otter (Enhydra lutris), also called great sea otter, rare, completely marine otter of the northern Pacific, usually found in kelp beds. Floats on back. Looks like sea otter laughing. saltwater otters

Animal Group Names

The bearded vulture (Gypaetus barbatus) is seen in Switzerland on December 2024

Animal Factoids

Lion (panthera leo)

Deadliest Animals Quiz