Earthworms: Oligochaeta

Physical characteristics: The head of the Gippsland giant worm is dark purple. The rest of the body is pinkish gray. They measure up to 31.5 to 39.3 inches (80 to 100 centimeters) in length and have small pairs of markings underneath the body.

Geographic range: The Gippsland giant worm lives only in the Bass River Valley of Victoria, Australia.

Habitat: This species burrows in clay soils along streams and in other moist, but not too wet, habitats.

The Gippsland giant worm breaks easily when pulled, so researchers tie a knot in it to stop it from escaping back into its burrow while the rest of it is dug out. (Australian News & Information Bureau/Photo Researchers, Inc.)

Diet: This species eats detritus in soil.

Behavior and reproduction: The giant worm's entire life, including feeding, mating, and waste deposition, occurs underground. They burrow down to the layer of soil that is soaked with water.

Cocoons are deposited underground, and eggs develop for 12 to 14 months. The larvae (LAR-vee), or animals in an early stage that change form before becoming adults, emerge from the cocoons measuring 7.8 inches (20 centimeters) in length.

Gippsland giant worms and people: The Gippsland giant worm is one of the largest earthworms in the world and a wonder of nature. Tourists flock to the Giant Worm Museum in Bass and to the worm festival in the town of Koramburra.

Conservation status: This species is listed as Vulnerable by the World Conservation Union (IUCN). This means that the Gippsland giant worm faces a high risk of extinction in the wild. It lives only in a very small area and is threatened by land development for farming and reduced water levels in the soil. ∎