2 Finds Add To Giant Earthworm Science In Northwest

According to an article at Science Daily, "Native, possibly giant, earthworm science in the Pacific Northwest is advancing with the discovery of two new specimens from opposite sides of the interior Columbia River basin. University of Idaho soil scientist Jodi Johnson-Maynard, an associate professor in the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, said an earthworm that was most likely a giant Palouse earthworm was found in early March near Moscow [Idaho]." I have trouble with the idea that worms of merely a foot long have trouble meeting the designation "giant" outside of Tremors or Arrakis. Update: 05/06 17:44 GMT by T : Correction: That's Moscow, Idaho, rather than Washington. Thanks to the alert reader who spotted this.

Comments

moscow, id not wa

[adpowers]

a giant Palouse earthworm was found in early March near Moscow [Washington]." That is Moscow, Idaho, not Washington.

Re:How much of the worm do you need?

[vajaradakini]

Usually you just need the head end and the worm will regrow (but I think this depends on the specific worm). If the 50% is the tail end then it doesn't regrow and if it's just random part in the middle (i.e. if they're taking a core sample and get a 3 inch section from the middle of a 1m long worm) then you're not really going to have much at all to go on.

I don't know if you've ever dissected a worm in high school biology class, but they've pretty much got organs in the front and intestines and nerves through the rest and then a place to poop at the end and that's about it (simplifying).

But yeah... worms = uber creepy.

Sandtrout

[MadUndergrad]

So when are they going to find sandtrout? You need those before the truly large worms make their appearance.

Gaaaaah-Rooooooovy!!

[Hellpop]

Sorry, couldn't resist!
Let's just hope one of them finds that super-suit.