What Type of Reproduction Do Earthworms Use?

The lowly earthworm is a fascinating creature.

All animals and plants have their own methods for producing young. Earthworms must mate, but it is not a matter of a male and female getting together. Rather, it's a simple matter of two different worms.

Earthworm Genders

According to Fossweb, there are no male or female earthworms. There are just worms. Each earthworm has both male and female reproductive organs, but it must still mate with another worm to reproduce.

Clitellum

One anatomical part that plays a very essential role in earthworm mating and reproduction is the clitellum. It's the wide band that you can find on every earthworm's body.

How Earthworms Mate

The way earthworms mate is by approaching nose to nose until they are touching. They then slide past each other, while still touching, until they are each just past the other's clitellum. They stop and pass sperm into each other.

Eggs

After the sperm is deposited, the clitellum secretes a slimy tube that a few eggs and some sperm are deposited into. The tube seals and becomes a cocoon for the eggs. More cocoons are made until the sperm is gone.

Length of Incubation

Earthworm eggs hatch in about three weeks if conditions are right. If conditions are not correct, the eggs can last for months before hatching into baby worms.

References

• Fossweb: Earthworms and Redworms