Sparsholt Schools' Centre for Environmental Education
 

Pond Animal Information 

 

Water Worm
Scientific Name: Tubifex species
Group: Annelids (true worms - oligochaeta)
Size:  10 - 80 mm
Long, thin animals whose bodies are divided into rings (segments). Some worms bury into the pond mud where they make tubes. The worms burrow head first into the mud to feed, and their tails wave in the water to let them breathe. Tubifex worms can tolerate low oxygen levels as they are able to store oxygen in their blood. 
 
 
Food chain
Position in food chain:
Secondary consumer (omnivore/scavenger)
They eat: detritus (dead plant and animal material)
They are eaten by:
larger animals such as water spiders, diving beetles, dragonfly nymphs

The true worms have body segments

Life cycle
The eggs are laid in a cocoon. The eggs hatch into young worms which are small and very pale, often almost transparent.

Did you know ...   Every adult worm is able to lay eggs!  The worms have both male and female reproductive organs - they are hermaphrodites.

 

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