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This was thought to be the truth until recent years.
Not many worms will survive such an experience.Even if some worms may survive a division, much the same as a human being may survive if their legs are chopped off, they are suspect to bacterial infections and bleeding to death like us. (Not bleeding as such, but their form of similar "stuff" what-ever that actually is :-) )
In most worms, depending on exactly where they are cut, only the part actually including the head or the part with the mouth, might be able to survive. This depends much on which internal organs if any is severely damaged.
I am sort of certain that I have read about worms actually being able to be split in half and both surviving. Possibly the tape worm found in stomachs and intestines of some infected hosts.
These worms are however not similar to earthworms. they are build up by sections where every section is capable of sustaining life itself.
Even if both parts of an earthworm is able to survive the act of being cut in half, the rear part would need to form a new head or mouth really fast. This uses a lot of energy as in nutrition. The worm-part can not eat whilst forming this new part and would most likely die off before being able to absorb nutrition again.
Science has not dismissed the possibility of a new mouth on an earthworm forming but the chances are low.
Many "animals" or shellfish do form new body-parts if they loose one part, but none of which will be able to sustain life if actually split in half at the middle. At best, only the part with the head will be able to sustain further life.
Worms however are quite different. They do not have one single brain as such. Often the "brain" is divided in a long part stretching along the worms body. When this "brain" is split in half, each half's will do their best to control their part of the "machinery" left.
Main problem is still that one brain will run out of energy due to lack of ability to consume food. Reserves as in humans, "fat", might be enough to form a new mouth and make the worm able to eat again.
There is a possibility, but most second parts die off due to lack of nutrition even if the ability to form a new mouth and head is still present.
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Do worms regenerate?
An earthworm can regenerate its head and its tail. An example is, if you go dig a earthworm out from the ground and chop it in half then its head will grow a new tail and the tail will grow a new head. Eventually there would be two earthworms. If you cut an earthworm into four piece's then after a few weeks or even months there would be four earthworms. So if you think that if you cut an earthworm you are killing it you are wrong. But if you cut an earthworm into too many piece's, example twelve then you will kill the worm, and after that there is no way to bring it back to life.
Does a dog have cartilage in there tails?
Half And Half Really, The Tail Is Where The Spine Ends So That's Why You Have To Be Careful With It. :)
Can a white tiger be half orange and half white?
Yes - i dont remember what that color is called but there are tigers that are both orange and white - the once ihave seen where hvite on the but and bag legs
What characteristic do animals have if they have radial symmetry?
Radial symmetry is when, for example, you can cut an organism in any way,and both ends would be directly the same. For example, if you cut a jellyfish in half, both sides would be the same. An easier example to remember is if you have a round chocolate cake and you slice it in half, both sides would be the same in shape.
What are facts about worms?
well worms are blind and they have 5 hearts.When earthworms tunnel through the ground they bring air into the soil. This allows plant roots togrow more easily.2. Earthworms will eat almost anything that was once alive, but is now dead.3. If a worm is cut in half, only the part of the body that has the head will live.4. More than 3,000 species of earthworm exist in the world.5. A worm is a "hermaphrodite" since it has both male and female reproductive organs.6. Worms cannot hear or see.7. Worms can have between 1-5 pairs of hearts.8. The earthworm does not have lungs and instead uses its skin to breath.9. Worms are cold blooded and their body is made up of 80% water.10. Worms typically live for about 3-4 years, however there have been some cases where they have lived for 15 years.
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a earthworm and a brain
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At both ends of a long-bone there would be a bearing shaped protuberance called a 'ball', as in one half of 'ball and socket'.
What is tension zone?
A2. In a beam supported at both its ends the lower half of the beam will be under tension, and the upper half of the beam will be under compression.
What is the function of the hearts of an earthworm?
It has 3 different hearts. so in other words you could cut the earthworm in half and it could still be living. The earthworms spread out and have other babys. The earthworm has both male, and female sex organs.
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mucous which is secreted from mucous membrane
How long does an earthworm take to regrow after being cut in half?
Two weeks is the length of time that it may take an earthworm to regrow after being cut in half. The amount nevertheless varies by species. Some species will devote longer and others shorter periods of time.
What will happen to an earthworm if the clitellum is cut in half?
no you will not get 2 earth worms only the top half of the worm will live if you cut it in half because it's tail will rejenorate while the head on the other half of the worm can not.
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You'll have to buy another...
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What number that ends in 2 is half that of a number beginning in 2?
12 is half of 24. 12 ends in a 2, 24 begins with a 2
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