They do not have an external skeleton like an insect or an internal skeleton like a snake they rely on their muscles alone to maintain their structure. The earthworms move by contracting and relaxing the muscles in successive segments, which produces a wave-like movement, while gripping the side of the tunnel with the front setae and drawing up their rear setae. They excavate tunnels through the soil.Įarthworms are segmented worms that belong to the class Oligochaeta, a name that describes their bristles or setae. Actually they are quite complex animals and although they are very familiar to us, how they live is quite unfamiliar.Įarthworms are terrestrial and are found in soil, leaf litter, under stones and logs in many habitats.
There are approximately 1000 species of earthworms in Australia, they are great improvers of the soil, and are popular with gardeners and invertebrates fans, but are regarded as boring and unappealing by most other people.
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