development. Life Cycle Lampito mauritii begins its life cycle, from the fertilized eggs. The eggs are held in a protective cocoon. These cocoons have an incubation period of about - days after which they hatch to release juveniles (Figure .
). The juveniles undergo changes into non-clitellate forms in phase – I after about days, which then develops a clitellum, called the clitellate at the end of the growth phase – II taking - days to complete. During the reproductive stage, earthworms copulate, and later shed their cocoons in the soil after about days. The life cycle of Lampito mauritii takes about days to complete.
The female r e p r o d u c t i v e system consists of a pair of ovaries lying in the th segment. Each ovary has finger like projections which contain ova in linear series. Ovarian funnels are present beneath the ovaries which continue into the oviducts . They open as a pair of genital apertures on the ventral side of the th segment.
Spermathecae or seminal receptacles are three pairs lying in segments th , th and th , opening to the exterior on the ventral side between th & th , th & th and th & th segments. They receive spermatozoa from the partner and store during copulation. Regeneration Earthworms have most of their important organ in the first segments. If earthworm gets cut after the th segment, the anterior half can regenerate, while the posterior half shall disintegrate after some time.
A mutual exchange of sperms occurs between two worms during mating. One worm has to find another worm and they mate juxtaposing opposite gonadal openings, exchanging the sperms. Mature egg cells in the nutritive fluid are deposited in the cocoons produced Figure . Life cycle of Lampito mauritii XI Std Biology-Zoology Chapter- membrane .
The sclerites of the dorsal side are called tergites , those on the ventral side are called sternites and those