Excretory system of Earthworm
- The excretory system of earthworm consists of segmentally arranged coiled tubes called nephridia.
- The major function of nephridia is to regulate the volume and composition of body fluids.
- A nephridium starts as a funnel that collects excess fluid from the coelomic chamber.
- The tubular part of the nephridium delivers the wastes through a pore to the surface of the body wall into the digestive tube.
- The nephridia are of three types i.e. pharyngeal nephridia, integumentary nephridia and septal nephridia
- Pharyngeal nephridia
- It is present as three paired tufts in the 4th, 5th and 6th segments on either side of the pharynx and esophagus.
- They open into the buccal cavity and pharynx.
Integumentary nephridia
- These are V-shaped nephridia attached to the lining of the body wall of segment 3 to the last which open to the outside through nephridiopores
- These nephridiopores are minute openings present on the body surface.
Septal nephridia
- These are the largest nephridia in earthworm.
- These are arranged along the sides of the intersegmental septum from the 15th segment onwards.
- These open into the intestines.

- The excretory system of earthworm consists of segmentally arranged coiled tubes called nephridia.
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