Details
Lumbricus terrestris
The common earthworm is an annelid of Palearctic and Nearctic soils. It is a solitary detritivore that helps break down leaf litter and organic matter.
Map: Ecoregions 2017 © RESOLVE (CC BY 4.0) · Natural Earth (PD)
It lives in moist soils of forests, grasslands, gardens, and fields. Damp soil layers and leaf litter are important because its skin must stay moist.
Length is about 9-30 cm and weight about 1-10 g. The long segmented body bears tiny bristles that help it move through soil.
It is solitary and treated in the data as diurnal. As it tunnels through soil, it creates channels that improve aeration and water movement.
It is a detritivore, swallowing soil mixed with dead leaves, humus, and microbes. Its castings enrich soil texture and nutrient cycling.
Earthworms are hermaphrodites and exchange sperm during mating. Eggs develop inside a cocoon, from which small young worms emerge.
Its conservation status is LC. Though familiar, it is a key indicator of healthy, living soil.
