World of worms

Image revised from http://kentsimmons.uwinnipeg.ca/16cm05/16labman05/lb5pg5.htm

I've never liked worms. Actually, you can say that I have a worm-phobia without exaggerating. Since I am a person who wants to be in control of all feelings, this is not really a part of my psyche that I like. Therefore, I try to approach the world of the worms in baby steps. My goal is to be able too look at a living earthworm or leech without feeling the primitive urge to scream and act like a crazy person. But that lies in the future. For now, I'm content with myself when I'm able to read about more pretty worms without any hint of unpleasantness.

Image revised from http://members.aol.com/uwphotohi/Images/flatworm.JPG

Marine flatworms are worms that I can cope with when seen on picture. The mating ritual of some species is fairly entertaining. Being hermaphoditic, the worms produce both eggs and sperms so when getting down to buisness these species have a hard time to decide who's going to be the taker and who's going to be the giver. Therefore they engage in a funny little game called penis fencing (!). The rules is that the first worm to pierce the other one with its penis gets to be the inseminator. The "looser" has to carry the future baby worms. Helluva game I'd say. Imagine the red light district in Amsterdam if humans would mate in this way and you'd get a funny but disturbing picture.





Image revised from http://www.rossum.com/maldiv99/maldive1/images/flatworm.jpg




Image revised from http://www.fortunecity.com/victorian/klimt/11/photos.htm



Sources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Platyhelminthes