Question

Haemoglobin and blood cells are formed in Earthworm from
A. Lateral hearts
B. Lateral Esophageal hearts
C. Blood glands
D. Ventral blood vessel

Answer 1

Hint: Earthworm is a terrestrial animal of glistening deep brown or reddish-brown colour. They are present in wet soil containing rich organic matter, that is, humus. They usually live in burrows found in the upper layer of the soil. Mostly, they live in their burrows made by boring and swallowing the soil. During the rainy season, they come out and can be seen in lawns, fields and gardens.

Complete Answer:
Blood is defined as a mobile connective tissue which is composed of fluid plasma and colourless blood corpuscles. A coloured respiratory pigment, the haemoglobin is also present in the plasma. It gives a red colour to blood and aids in the transportation of oxygen for respiration. Only one type of blood corpuscles, the leukocytes are present in the blood of the earthworm. They are phagocytic in nature, i.e., they kill harmful germs which enter the body.

Now let us find solution from given options:
- Lateral hearts: In earthworm, there are four pairs of tubular hearts. These hearts are enlarged thick-walled pulsatile and provided with valves. The anterior two pairs of hearts known as lateral hearts lie in the 7th and 9th segments. They connect the dorsal blood vessel with the ventral blood vessel.
- Latero Esophageal hearts: The posterior two pairs of hearts are called latero-esophageal hearts and are situated in the 12h and 13th segments. They are thick, muscular and rhythmically contractile vertical vessels.
- Blood glands: In segments 4th, 5th and 6th lying above the pharyngeal mass, are found small, red coloured, follicular bodies called blood glands. They are considered to produce blood corpuscles and haemoglobin.
- Ventral blood vessel: It extends from the one end to the other end of the body. It does not have any valves and flow of the blood is from anterior to the posterior end of the body. It is a main distributing blood vessel.

Our required option is C that is Blood glands.

Note: Blood flows in well-organised vessels which run all along the body of earthworm. Some prominent blood vessels found in earthworm are Dorsal blood vessels: It is the largest blood vessel of the body running mid dorsally above the alimentary canal, from one end of body to the other. It has valves which prevent the backflow of blood. It receives blood from various parts of earthworm through different connecting vessels.