| Tubifex tubifex | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Annelida |
| Clade: | Pleistoannelida |
| Clade: | Sedentaria |
| Class: | Clitellata |
| Order: | Tubificida |
| Family: | Naididae |
| Genus: | Tubifex |
| Species: | T. tubifex |
| Binomial name | |
| Tubifex tubifex (O. F. Müller, 1774) | |
Tubifex tubifex, also called thesludge worm,sewage worm, or simplytubifex worm, is aspecies oftubificidsegmented worm which inhabits the sediments oflakes andrivers on several continents.Tubifex likely includes several species, but distinguishing between them is difficult because thereproductive organs, commonly used in species identification, are resorbed after mating, and because the external characteristics of the worm vary with changes insalinity. These worms ingest sediments, selectively digestbacteria, and absorbmolecules through their body walls. Micro-plastic ingestion byTubifex worms acts as a significant risk for trophic transfer and biomagnification ofmicroplastics up the aquatic food chain.[1] The worms can survive with littleoxygen by wavinghemoglobin-rich tail ends to exploit all available oxygen, and can exchange carbon dioxide and oxygen through their thin skins, in a manner similar to frogs. They can also survive in areas heavilypolluted with organic matter that almost no other species can endure. By forming a protective cyst and lowering itsmetabolic rate,T. tubifex can survive drought and food shortage.Encystment may also function in the dispersal of the worm.They usually inhabit the bottom sediments oflakes,rivers, and occasionallysewer lines and outlets.[2]
| Lake zones |
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| Lake stratification |
| Lake types |
| See also |