Biology 11

Name: Jared Bouchard

Annelida Lab

Purpose: to compare and contrast the various body plans of annelids

Materials:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

preserved earthworm
hand lens
dissection tray
dissecting pins, forceps, scissors, scalpel, probe
gloves
microscope and Leech, Earthworm CS and nephridium slides

Method:
Part 1: Earthworm (Oligochaeta) Dissection
1. Place earthworm in the dissecting tray & rinse off the excess
preservative. Identify the dorsal side, which is the worms rounded top,
and the ventral side, which is its flattened bottom. Turn the worm ventral
side up, as shown in the diagram below.

2. Use a hand lens as you observe all parts of the worm, externally and
internally. Find the anterior end by locating the prostomium, which is a
fleshy lobe that extends over the mouth. The other end of the worms
body is the posterior end, where the anus is located.
3. Locate the clitellum, which extends from segment 33 to segment 37. Look
for the worms setae, which are the minute bristle-like spines located on
every segment except the first and last one.
4. Refer again to the diagram of the ventral view of the worm to locate and
identify the external parts of its reproductive system. Find the pair of
sperm grooves that extend from the clitellum to about segment 15, where
one pair of male genital pores is located. Look also for one pair of female
genital pores on segment 14. There is another pair of male genital pores
on about segment 26. Try to find the two pairs of openings of the seminal
receptacles on segment 10. Note: These openings are not easy to see.
5. Do an external drawing of your worm label as many structures as you
can.
6. Turn the worm dorsal side up. Using a scalpel and scissors, make a
shallow incision in the dorsal side of the clitellum at segment 33.

CAUTION: Scalpels and scissors are very sharp. Report any cuts to your
teacher. Using the forceps and scalpel, spread the incision open, little by
little. Separate each septum from the central tube using a dissecting
needle, and pin down each loosened bit of skin. Continue the incision
forward to segment 1.
7. Use the diagram below to locate and identify the five pairs of aortic
arches, or hearts. Then find the dorsal blood vessel. Look for smaller blood
vessels that branch from the dorsal blood vessel.

8. Locate the digestive tract, which lies below the dorsal blood vessel. Refer
to the diagram above to locate the pharynx, esophagus, crop, gizzard,
and intestine.
9. To find organs of the nervous system, push aside the digestive and
circulatory system organs. Use the diagram below to locate the ventral
nerve cord. Trace the nerve cord forward to the nerve collar, which circles
the pharynx. Find one pair of ganglia under the pharynx and another pair
of ganglia above the pharynx. The ganglia above the pharynx serve as the
brain of the earthworm.

10. The worms excretory organs are tiny nephridia. There are two in every
segment. Use the preceding diagram to locate some nephridia.
11. Use the diagram below to locate and identify a pair of ovaries in
segment 13. Look for two pairs of tiny testes in segments 10 and 11. To
find these organs, you will again have to push aside some parts already
dissected.

12. Do a drawing of your worm in its dissected form label as many

structures as you can.
13. Dispose of your materials according to the directions from your
teacher.
14. Clean up your work area and wash your hands before leaving the lab.
Part 2: Other worms
1. Use the microscope and do a drawing of the cross-section through an
earthworm. Be sure to label as many germ layers as you can.
2. Use a microscope to view and draw a diagram of the earthworm
nephridium.
3. Draw a diagram of the sandworm (Polychaeta) specimen
4. Use a microscope to view and draw a diagram of the leech (Hirudinea)
label as many structures as you can.
Results:
Part 1:

Part2:

Analysis:
1. What is the name of the pumping organs of an earthworm?
- Aortic Arches
2. In the earthworm trace the parts of the digestive tract through which food
passes.

3. Which parts of the earthworm serve as its brain? How are these parts
connected to the rest of the body?
- The part of the earthworm that serves of the brain is the anterior end
of the single ventral nerve cord.
4. Which of the parts of the earthworms body that you saw are included in
the excretory system?
- I found the septa but I didnt see any external pores or nephridias.
5. How can you find out whether an earthworm eats soil?

Look what is in its digestive system during the dissection or if the

animal is still alive but it in a petri dish with some dirt and record the
results over a period of time.
6. Among the earthworms structural adaptations are its setae. How do you
think the earthworms setae make it well adapted to its habitat?
- The sepae allow the earthworm to easily burrow in dirt. They allow the
worm to move.
7. How is the earthworms digestive system adapted for extracting relatively
small amounts of food from large amounts of ingested soil?
8. Your dissection of the earthworm did not go beyond segment 32. What will
you observe if you dissect the remainder of the worm to its posterior end?
- I believe it will be the same of segments 29-32 as it will mainly include
the nerve cord, digestive system and arteries.
9. What did each germ layer develop into in the earthworm.
- The endoderm turned into the digestive system, the mesoderm turned
into the muscles and inner organs such as the arteries and the
ectoderm turned into the skin and the ventral nerve.
10. What is the function of the nephridium? How does it complete this
function?
- The nephridium is the excretory system of the earthworm. It acts like a
kidney as it removes unwanted chemicals such as ammonia. The
previous segment passes its fluid in its coelom to the following
segment. In the next segment, it is processed and the worm removes
the desired nutrients leaving the ammonia. Last, the excess stuff is
excreted through the external pore as urine.
11. How is the sandworm similar and different to the earthworm?
Earthworm
Both
Sandworm
Well adapted to
Are Annelida
Live in the water
Have an artery
Move using
land
Move using setae
and nerve
parapodia
Eat dirt
Dont have
eyes but have
a mouth
12. How is the leech designed to live as an ectoparasite? What are the
similarities and differences between the leech and the earthworm?
- Leeches are designed to live as an ectoparasite because they have
suckers to attach to their hosts. They also excrete an anti-coagulant to
act like an anesthetic.
Earthworm
Both
Leeches
Well adapted to
Are Annelida
Live in the water
Have an artery
Are parasites
land
Feed on blood
Move using setae
and nerve
Attach to their
Eat dirt
Dont have
Are free-living
host by suctions
eyes but have
a mouth