Worms surround a person: they are in the earth, found in spoiled food, water, even inside the body (we are talking about helminths). Of course, they can hardly be called pleasant creatures of wildlife, they are disgusted by the mere sight of their bodies covered with mucus. Meanwhile, among them there are many amazing creatures - real champions. We invite you to get acquainted with the largest worms on our planet.
Giants from Australia
Australian earthworms are considered to be real giants, their average body length is 70-80 cm, however, there are cases when these creatures, under favorable conditions, extended up to 3 meters! There is a very scarce amount of information about these creatures, since they are rare and are now on the verge of extinction. Here are just a few facts from the life of the largest earthworms:
- Organic substances found in the soil are used for food, but if they are scarce, they can crawl to the surface and absorb plant roots and leaves.
- When moving, they make characteristic champing sounds.
- They prefer to live in clay soil in the immediate vicinity of water bodies, they inhabit a very small area in the Australian state of Victoria. The range of giant worms is not more than 1000 square meters. km
- Burrows and passages are hidden underground at a depth of approximately 13-15 cm.
- Often found in those places where there was a landslide.
Now the eucalyptus forests of the southern mainland are undergoing active deforestation, which affects the number of animals, which is declining. The giants of the world of worms are getting smaller. The largest earthworm in the world is not an exception, but it is interesting that its record is broken, there are larger individuals, however, which are not rainworms. Below they will be discussed separately.
Lineus
A large number of large animals lives on the bottom of the seas and oceans. These include the representative of Nemerthine, Lineus. This is really the biggest worm: its body reaches 60 meters, although more modest specimens, up to 30-40 meters, are most often found. They were discovered in 1770, but are described in detail almost 40 years later. Features of their appearance and lifestyle are as follows:
- Body diameter - only 1 cm.
- They are scavengers or predators. Small crustaceans and small worms are captured with a special proboscis.
- The movement is due to muscle contraction.
- Life expectancy is up to 10 years.
These giants inhabit the seas in northwestern Europe, come across near the islands of Britain, as well as along the coast of Norway.
Amazing facts
Consider a few strange facts about lineus:
- These worms are almost 2 times as long as the largest of the mammals, the blue whale.
- In the absence of other food, they begin to eat themselves. But with the return of favorable conditions, they are quickly gaining their former size.
- The color can be either gray-brown or brown, with age, the worms turn brown-red.
These are the largest worms known to science. But there are also such creatures whose very existence is in question, we will talk about them a little lower.
Giant brazilian worm
This semi-mythical creature is also called Mingochao, it is believed that until the beginning of the last century he lived in Brazil. According to the description that reached us, this creature reached a length of 45 meters, and his body was covered with a powerful shell. Indigenous people were sure that this largest worm had the ability to tear tall trees and change river beds with roots.
The legend of the Brazilian Indians says that minhochao, or mboi-tata, is a giant snake that managed to survive the global flood, hiding in a cave. Due to the long underground presence, the worm has become blind. Many years later, suffering from hunger, the monster began to get to the surface and hunt people. Of course, this is nothing more than a legend, but there is also some evidence that minhochao could exist in reality.
Pros and cons
Residents of the 19th century sometimes met with a giant worm, about which notes and memories were preserved. In particular, in 1847, the journal Science published an article on minhochao. An eyewitness described the worm as a giant, covered with scales, with a body length of more than 20 meters. A kind of tentacle emerged from its mouth, which the creature used to extract food (which is very similar to the proboscis of the previously described linearus).
In addition, zoologist F. Muller, referring to eyewitness accounts, described the giant in a scientific article. According to this material, minhochao really existed, it attacked cattle and people, dragging them under water, breaking down human buildings. In favor of this version is the fact that all references to the giant came from the same areas - lakes Padre Aranda and Feija, the river Rio dos Piloles. In addition, there is not so much evidence that suggests that the scientist turned not to those who longed for fame, but really real eyewitnesses. However, the scientist himself did not see the worm itself, nor its body, which gives the right to doubt.
Computer
It is interesting that the world of wildlife was transferred to the space of computer games, and the largest worm appeared in Slysario, which has nothing to do with reality. The goal of this simple game is to feed the worm, which helps its growth and development. The player must direct the character crawling across the field to eat, while trying not to crash into other worms. The figure shows how it looks.
Here the giant worm is absolutely harmless and pretty pretty. The game takes place online, so opponents can be completely strangers from around the world, which only adds to the real interest.
Helminths
Consider the largest worms in man. They can get inside through infected food products, such as meat or fish, which are not thermally processed. In addition, danger lurks in water, unwashed fruits and vegetables. It is also dangerous not to wash your hands before eating. So, giant parasites that can live in the human intestines include:
- A wide ribbon (in length this helminth reaches 10-15 meters, but a case of extraction of a parasite with a length of 17 meters has been recorded).
- Bull tapeworm (enters the body with poorly prepared meat and can grow up to 12 meters. It can live inside its master for more than 20 years, poisoning it from the inside and causing a decrease in immunity).
- Pork tapeworm (up to 4-5 meters).
Worms can cause intestinal obstruction and cause death, so you should fight them. People who work with raw meat are at risk, which is why they should make every effort to prevent it.
Residents of Africa and Asia can become victims of another giant parasite, the Guinean worm worm, which can grow up to 80 cm. It gets into it with poorly purified water, after which it attacks the subcutaneous layer, where it begins to develop.
These are the champions of the world of worms. They are very diverse, not always pleasant, often harmful, but very interesting from the point of view of nature.