lab practical (Earthworm)

Esophagus

A muscular tube that channels swallowed soil and organic matter from the pharynx down to the crop.

Crop

A thin-walled storage chamber where ingested organic material and soil are temporarily stored before entering the gizzard.

Gizzard

A thick, muscular organ that uses coarse mineral particles to mechanically grind down food into a fine pulp.

Intestine

Chemically breaks down organic matter, absorbs nutrients into the bloodstream, and moves undigested soil toward the anus.

Hearts (5 pairs of aortic arches)

Specialized, contractile blood vessels that wrap around the esophagus to pump blood from the dorsal vessel into the ventral vessel, regulating body circulation pressure.