#earthworm
This giant earthworm worm was found in extremely rich forest soil in the foothills of the Sumaco Volcano in Ecuador.
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It’s been identified as a Martiodrilus crassus, which is Latin for “worm which feeds on dogs.” Like other earthworms, these giants spend their lives sucking down microbes and decaying plant or animal matter in the soil.
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Scientist @phil_torres said, “It had a surprisingly similar feel to the earthworms I dig up in my yard. It felt like a long, slimy, ridged muscle. It seems like it is 90% muscle, 9% dirt, 1% nervous system. If I were starving out there, I might be tempted to cook it.”
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However, at five feet in length, it’s not the longest recorded worm, nor even the planet’s biggest species of earthworm. The Giant Gippsland earthworm, found in the clay soil along streams in Victoria, Australia, can stretch to an impressive 9.8 feet in length!
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#science #philtorres #scientist #earthworm #garden #equador #southamerica #gardener #education #educational #learn #learning #cool #weird #natgeo #wild #wildlife #nature
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