Is it true that if you cut the rainworm in half, you get two viable individuals?

Since childhood, many of us have known the story that if we cut the rainworm in half, then each half regenerates to the whole body and heals its life. We decided to check if this is true.

Users ask this question for sites And forums, and some even They sayThat teachers told them about this ability of worms in biology lessons at school. 

Rain (earthen) worm - Invertebrate representative of a detachment of ring worms living on all continents except Antarctica. The body of the animal consists of segments, their number varies from 80 to 300. The ringworm has different heads of the head and tail. Along the whole body is a circulatory and excretory system, and breathing is carried out through the skin. It is because of the skin breathing that the worms crawl to the surface during and after the rain, since oxygen is not enough in waterlogged soil.

Closer to the head end of the worm is the “belt”, which is incredible called clitellum-a thickening responsible for the propagation of the worm. "Belt" and the segments following it (from 9 to 15) Play The key role in the regeneration of the animal. If, as a result of trauma, clitterlum remains on the head end, then under favorable conditions, it is capable of regeneration and can grow a new tail. At the same time, the second part of the chopped animal is not able to “grow” a new mouth. If the wound drags on, then another tail appears in the place of the head with the rotary hole and the body will die from hunger.

It is important to note that there are also those who are capable of real miracles of regeneration among worms. These are flat worms and their representative - planaria. This is a water predatory animal, living in both fresh and salty water, capable Grow your body from a fragment that is only 1/300 from the size of an adult animal. Planners can restore not only their entire body, but even memories. Scientists Installedthat, as the new head grows, neurons “remember” everything that happened to them earlier.

Thus, rainworms, unlike planaries, have a very limited ability to regenerate. Subject to the cut after the 15th segment, the head end can grow a tail. But there can be no talk of any two independent individuals, since the tail ends in the case of separation from the head inevitably dies.

Not true

What do our verdicts mean?

Read on the topic:

1. Why, after rain, the worms crawl out onto the road?
2. Rainworms are gigantic and are able to mate for hours
3. Remember everything: worms restore memory with their heads