two worms having sex

my segments

my segments

It's big! It's blue! It's the big blue earthworm! Also known as Terriswalkerius terraereginae, this species is rarely seen as they burrow deep in the earth. However, when they do emerge, they're easy to spot thanks to their bright coloration! Scientists aren't sure what purpose their blue hue serves; one possibility is that it could serve as a warning for potential predators that this particular meal will make them sick.

When decorating for the holidays, why not ask the decorator worm to help? These worms are named both for their beautiful irridescent 'plumage' and the tunnels they construct benath the ocean floor, which are often lined with bits of algae, coral, and shells. These tubes can be up to .9 m (3 ft), and are used by the worms to hide from predators.

A feather duster worm (Sabellidae sp.) in Gozo, Malta

A worm that can jump? It's more likely than you think! Asian jumping worms will thrash wildly when threatened, and have been known to leap nearly 30 cm (11 in) into the air! If that doesn't deter predators, they may also drop their tails just like a lizard.

(Image: An Asian jumping worm (Amynthas agrestis) by Tom Potterfield)

One of the worms seen in this post (here). I got extra footage of it.

14/09/23 - Annelida sp.

Christmas tree worms (Spirobranchus giganteus) off the coast of the Galapagos Islands

What’s better than one brain? Thirty-two brains! That’s how many brains a leech has. Their bodies are separated into 32 segments, each with its own brain fragment. In addition, each leech has 10 stomachs and nine pairs of testicles, as well as a set of ovaries.

(Image: A pair of mating tiger leeches (Hirudo medicinalis) by David Hemprich-Bennet)