Earthworms are famous invertebrates living all over the world.Why are earthworms said to be rich in hearts? The fact of the matter is that when you have many hearts, you obviously tend to be rich in hearts in this world, right?An earthworm possesses hearts (yes, plural!). The little worm that works on organic matter in soil has a more important role other than converting organic matter into compost for plants to grow well in soil. The world of worms is tiny yet fascinating. You see them move around soil in a unique way of their own.They breathe through their skin instead of their mouth. They have hearts in the place of a mouth. Most of what people call worms are earthworms. These earthworms are unlike other invertebrates in the heart department. They have a unique circulatory system. Earthworms have a very fascinating heart or, more accurately, hearts in their body.Though it might be a surprising fact for many right now, learning a bit more about the hearts of the earthworm will give you clarity on the subject. Let us learn more about the heart matter of earthworms here. Afterward, do take some time to read about how many eyes do bees have and how many ribs do dogs have too!How many heart chambers does a worm have?How many hearts does a worm have?Well, let’s say 10. No, let’s say five hearts, or wait, let’s say worms have no heart. Is this a joke? No, not really. Depending on the way you define a heart. The answer can be 10, five, or zero. Don’t worry. Keep reading for an explanation.While humans have one heart with multiple chambers, the number of earthworm heart chambers is none. They have no heart with chambers, just five pairs of aortic arches that extend through the length of their bodies.These five pairs of aortic arches can be called five hearts even though they do not fit the general definition of a heart since that includes one organ having multiple chambers, and an arch has none.If you consider each of these aortic arches as a heart, then a worm has ten hearts.Yes, these tiny creatures have that many hearts. Fascinating, right? But if you consider one heart to be an organ with multiple chambers, then the worm has zero hearts since all the aortic arches are without chambers.The aortic arches function in a similar way to the one heart that humans have. So, whatever way you like to define a heart, you can. Depending on that, a worm can have five, 10, or zero hearts.Why do worms have five hearts?Now that we know that an earthworm has five hearts, why do you think they need five hearts? They are creatures with tiny bodies. Why so many hearts? Are all these hearts really necessary for earthworms? Do they all function the same way?The pairs of aortic arches in an earthworm’s body are segmented and extend throughout the length of its body. The pairs of aortic arches pump blood around the body of worms. Much like the human heart, the aortic arches connect blood vessels (called dorsal vessels and ventral vessels) to pump blood throughout the body of an earthworm. This species needs these pairs of aortic arches so that it can function as a regular heart.Why does an earthworm have a closed circulatory system?The earthworm has a closed circulatory system to transport waste, fluids, and other nutrients.With systems like the closed circulatory system in a worm, blood stays within the vessel of the earthworm rather than flowing freely through the body like other invertebrates.There are various blood vessels in the body of an earthworm. The main blood vessels are dorsal, ventral, and sub-neural vessels, among others. The heart of an earthworm is located at the mouth. From the mouth, the aortic arches pump blood in a similar way to a human heart.The single closed circulatory system is designed to pump blood in this species with the help of muscles and vessels. The pressure that builds up in the body is how the pumping function happens.How does a worm heart function?We know how a human heart works. How does a heart pump blood within an earthworm’s body? How do these worms use their hearts?Earthworms breathe through their skin. This species of animals will breathe via the skin by absorbing oxygen from the worm’s outer skin layer. Once they breathe, the aortic arches contract and oxygenated blood will move through the dorsal vessel. The carbon dioxide in oxygenated blood goes outside the earthworm as waste matter.Aortic arches work with the help of the nervous systems of earthworms. While other species use muscles to regulate heartbeat, earthworms regulate it via nerve cells. The nerve cells help the function of the heart, much like in other invertebrates.The ventral vessel works to move blood to the backside of the earthworm. For the heart to function well in the body, oxygen coming in through the skin provides much help.The 100-150 segments and the tube-like structure of earthworms help them move through the soil easily. These tube structures, along with this system of blood circulation and the many hearts of earthworms altogether, make them a bunch of fascinating creatures.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for ‘How many hearts does a worm have?’ then why not take a look at ‘How many legs do lobsters have?’, or ‘Earthworm facts’.
Earthworms are famous invertebrates living all over the world.
