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What is the function of the earthworm pharynx?
Earthworms push the pharynx out of their mouths to grasp hold of organic matter. They pull the food back into their mouths and then wet it with saliva.
Where is the pharynx located in an earthworm?
The earthworm takes in a mixture of soil and organic matter through its mouth, which is the beginning of the digestive tract. The mixture enters the pharynx, which is located in segments 1–6. The esophagus, in segments 6–13, acts as a passageway between the pharynx esophagus and the crop.
Which worms have a pharynx?
Like the cnidarians, flatworms have a digestive system with only a single opening into the digestive cavity, but in independently living marine flatworms the cavity branches into all parts of the body (Fig. 3.37 B). These flatworms feed through a pharynx.
What type of worm has a pharynx and what is it used for?
Planaria eat living or dead small animals that they suck up with their muscular mouths. Food passes from the mouth through the pharynx into the intestines where it is digested by the cells lining the intestines.
What is the function of the pharynx in an earthworm?
The “pharynx” of the nematode worm is a muscular food pump in the head, triangular in cross-section, that grinds food and transports it directly to the intestines. A one-way valve connects the pharynx to the excretory canal.
What is the function of the digestive system in an earthworm?
The earthworm digestive system helps fertilize the soil and therefore making them ‘farmers best friends’. Earthworms feed on large amounts of soil containing organic matter and loosen the soil, making it porous. This facilitates easy percolation of water and air into the soil and thus promotes plant growth.
Do earthworms have a complete digestive tract?
The earthworm has a complete digestive system with a mouth, anus and specialized structures with specific functions. The earthworm has a crop for food storage, similar to our stomach, a gizzard for grinding food and a long intestine for digestion/nutrient absorption.
What does the esophagus do in an earthworm?
The food is then passed on to the esophagus that is present in the 5th to 7th segment. The esophagus is like a small tube that has calciferous glands. These glands release calcium carbonate that helps neutralizing the acids formed in the decayed food matter and remove excess of calcium from the earthworms body.