The 39th chapter of the “Inhabitants of the microworld” series is called “Hungry worm”.
Naidids, also named detritus worms, conform a big group of microscopic annelids inhabiting both fresh and salty waters. Their food is composed by the particles of organic matter in the sediment. Some species, like that one appearing in the video, catch up the particles of food with their evaginable pharynx. This pharynx is evaginated through the mouth and has the shape of a strong balloon. In the video there have been inserted some small arrows indicating the location of that “tongue”. All these worms have a very important role in the recycling of the sediment, and are very common prey for other invertebrates and fish.
This is the 39th chapter of a series that will bring to us a video per day during this confinement forced by COVID-19.
We hope that you enjoy this initiative, which gives access to a documentary series for free to the world, and you share it with everyone you think will possibly be interested.
Science into Images’s team.