What Are Segmented Worms?

Segmented worms are abundant throughout the world. Unlike other types of worms, segmented worms have circular or round segments that make up the body from beginning to end. These worms also have a more advanced inner system than other worms by having a digestive tract, a circulatory system that pumps blood and an excretory system that helps rid the body of toxins. There are many types of segmented worms, although some are better known than others are.

Earthworms are among the most popular and well-known type of segmented worm. One typically can find this worm hiding in the dirt or roaming the pavement after a heavy rainstorm. Like other segmented worms, the earthworm is a hermaphrodite, which means that it can reproduce alone, without a mate. The earthworm feeds primarily off leaves and other leftover plant debris.

The lugworm is another type of segmented worm that also goes by the name "sandworm." Just like the earthworm, the lugworm lives underground. The earthworm lives comfortably in soil, but the lugworm spends most of its time burrowed beneath sand, and it is only on rare occasions that one can see the lugworm above ground. Lugworms are also hermaphrodites and do not depend on a partner for reproduction. Many people believe that lugworms feed on the sand, but they actually feed off the tiny particles found within the sand.

Leeches are a type of flatworm with a mouth on either side of the body. Although most people do not think of a leech as a type of worm, it actually is a type of segmented worm. Most leeches live in or near water but can survive in drier areas by burrowing into moist dirt or mud. To reproduce, leeches typically find a mate, although they also are hermaphrodites. Movies have depicted leeches to be bloodsuckers, and although leeches do feed off the blood of humans and animals, they also feed off plants and other vegetation.

Worms have a significant effect on the environment. Types of worms such as earthworms are used for making natural compost. This is done when someone adds worms, along with food garbage such as banana peels, to a bucket. As the worms feed on and digest the garbage, the feces are turned into a natural compost that will be used in a vegetable garden or flowerbed. This is a natural choice for many people who choose to do organic gardening.