“This worm moves from both ends”, writes this reader about the black, worm-like creature pictured below. “It has suckers/feet that it moves along with. Hope you can tell me what it is and if it is dangerous.” To start with, we want to thank our reader for the excellent photos she sent in, the best one of which is the one we included. Since it is such good quality, we find it odd that we cannot see the “suckers/feet” that our reader refers to. To us, this worm looks completely void of any feet-like appendages.

In fact, to us this looks like an earthworm, and more specifically a jumping worm, which is a species of earthworm. Earthworms are annelids, which just means they have segmented bodies. Jumping worms, as their name suggests, are a species of earthworm which are known for their tendency to spring into the air when threatened. They are originally from east Asia, but have, through commercial trading, been introduced to all corners of the planet. On top fo jumping, these worms will generally throw a tantrum when disturbed: they will flail around, which can send a lot of people into a panic, and they can even sever their own tail off in an effort to throw off their predator and escape.

Jumping worms tend to have a dark coloration, like the worm our reader photographed. Likewise, like most species of earthworms, jumping worms have a clitellum, which is a thicker band of skin usually situated near the head of the worm. We think we can actually see this clitellum on the worm our reader found, near the top of its body where you can make out a band of lighter-colored skin. They are an invasive species, meaning not only that they have come from another region, but that they threaten the biodiversity in a given area because they either damage the environment, or take too many resources away from other organisms. For that reason, people tend to try and control jumping worm populations and prevent them from exploding. Now, our reader did not specify where she found this worm, but if she found it inside her home, she does not need to worry about an infestation. It likely wandered in by accident, or came in on someone’s clothing or shoes.

To conclude, we think the worm our reader found is a jumping worm. Although they are an invasive species, and are generally regarded as a problem, they are not dangerous, so our reader needs not worry for her health and safety. We hope this helps, and we wish her the very best.

Summary

Article Name

Black Worm with Suckers is a Jumping Worm

Description

"This worm moves from both ends", writes this reader about the black, worm-like creature pictured below. "It has suckers/feet that it moves along with. Hope you can tell me what it is and if it is dangerous." To start with, we want to thank our reader for the excellent photos she sent in, the best one of which is the one we included. Since it is such good quality, we find it odd that we cannot see the "suckers/feet" that our reader refers to. To us, this worm looks completely void of any feet-like appendages.

Author

Worm Researcher Anton