![]() However, at five feet in length, it's not the longest recorded worm, nor even the planet's biggest species of earthworm. If I were starving out there, I might be tempted to cook it.” It seems like it is 90% muscle, 9% dirt, 1% nervous system. ![]() It felt like a long, slimy, ridged muscle. Scientists that examined the giant earthworm said, "It had a surprisingly similar feel to the earthworms they dug up at the back of their yard. It's been identified as a Martiodrilus crassus, which translates to "worm which feeds on dogs." Like other earthworms, these giants spend their lives sucking down microbes and decaying plant or animal matter in the soil. This giant earthworm was found in an extremely rich forest soil in the foothills of the Sumaco Volcano in Ecuador. This slow rate of growth, also makes them a vulnerable species.Its amazing how nature always seems to surprise us with awesome and great things to behold, there is more to what is out there that humanity is actually oblivious about, and yet to discover. These can take up to one year to hatch, and the worms take several years to become adults, and be able to reproduce. The worms only lay a single egg, between 4-7cm in size. They have been listed a vulnerable species because of these changes. Most of this has been cleared for farming, but the worms have continued to survive because they live deep underground. The habitat the worms used to live in was tall eucalypt forests. They live in burrows about 500mm deep, and can burrow as deep as 1.5m. They live in small pockets of blue-grey clay close to water. They are only found in a small area, of about 100,000 hectares. The worms are found in the Bass River Valley of South Gippsland, near Korumburra and Warragul. ![]() They have a dark purple head and a blue- gray body. The average weight of a fresh adult worm is about 200 grams. It is difficult to measure length, as the worms will stretch, so scientists use weight to estimate the size. ![]() These Giant earthworms average at 100 cm long and 2 cm in diameter and can reach 3 m in length. The giant Gippsland earthworm ( Megascolides australis) is one of Australia's 1,000 native earthworm species. ![]()
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