Vocabulary

Annelid: round tubular animal that has a long segmented body. Belongs to phylum Annelida. Triploblastic.

Polychaetes: literally meaning "many-bristled", they are segmented worms (usually aquatic) characterized by laterally paired appendages on its body segments and a "spiky" body.

Oligochaeta: Annelid worm. The class that contains the common earthworm and related species that live in soil and in water. Literally means, "few-bristled".

Leech: Annelid worm. Typically exists as an external parasite that drinks the blood and body fluids of its host. Hooks on using mouth, and can drink up to 10x their weight.

Longitudinal muscles: Runs from the anterior of the worm to the posterior. When these muscle contract they make the worm shorter.

Circular Muscles: Muscles that run throughout the worm like a coil. When contraction occurs, worm elongates.

Septa: Plural of Septum. means, "Something that encloses." A wall separating the segments in an Annelid.

Nephridia: Plural of Nephridium. the excretory organ of many invertebrates, consisting of a tubule with one end opening into the body cavity and the other opening into a pore at the body surface.

Sanguivorous: Literally means, "that which eats blood" or something to that effect. Means blood-feeding, or blood eating.

Lumbriculus: A division of Oligochaeta

Aulophorus: A division of Oligochaeta

Hermaphroditic: An organism with both male and female reproductive organs.

Copulation: Sexual Intercourse.

Spermathecae: a small sac or cavity in hermaphroditic invertebrates used to store sperm for fertilizing eggs, such as in earthworms.

Clitellum: It secretes a mucus ring into which egg and sperm are released.

Pharynx: muscular front end of the digestive tube which can be extend to get food.

Triploblastic: Having three germ layers.

Coelom: A body cavity completely surrounded by mesoderm.

Annuli: In this case (earthworms), a ring mark.

Trochozoa: Full name is Lophotrochozoa; one of 3 major groups of protosome animal.