How do tubifex worms take in oxygen?

Question

How do tubifex worms take in oxygen?

1. Breathe though gills?
2. Breathe by carrying air bubble?
3. Breathe through air tube?
4. Breathe though skin?

Answer 1

They breathe through the delicate integument which has very little cuticle.The exchange of gases occurs through the integument Even earthworms which have slightly more cuticle breathe thorough the integument.

Answer 2

Some worms build tubes (eg. Tubificidae)

1/3 of body is actually in substrate; rest is out of tube above the substrate

they "graze" the top levels of the substrate immediately around their tubes (ie. however far they can reach)

most worms live in the first few centimeters of substrate

below that environmental conditions too harsh to survive

O2 and PH problems

substrate dwellers are all "mud eaters" that may eat their weight in 24 hours

some species live on plants (macrophytes)

most ingest living algae, diatoms, protozoans

some may be considered predators (Naididae: Chaetogaster) and feed on

crustaceans, rotifers, mites

Physiology

Respiration

some have hemoglobin (ie. red blood) that allows them to survive in very low oxygenated waters (eg. tubificids)

some also have gills dorsally, ventrally, or from the anus (eg. tubificids, naidids)

for these reasons aquatic worms have been heavily used as water quality indicators; are for the most part considered pollution tolerant

Hope this answered your Q :) All the best
cheers
ritu

Answer 3

Rudimentary gills