Nematodes do all sorts of amazing things. Some are parasites that can cause heartworm, elephantiasis and other horrible parasitic diseases. Some are parasites of plants. Still others are being tested for therapeutic properties for conditions such as Crohn's disease (look up helminthic therapy). And much of what we know about animal developmental genetics and cell biology was figured out at least in part by studying development in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans.
I can't tell for sure in the photo, but they might be roundworms (nematodes) rather than earthworms (annelids). Whatever they are, nice job spotting these tiny critters!
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You're making me blush. :)
drP rocks :)
Nematodes do all sorts of amazing things. Some are parasites that can cause heartworm, elephantiasis and other horrible parasitic diseases. Some are parasites of plants. Still others are being tested for therapeutic properties for conditions such as Crohn's disease (look up helminthic therapy). And much of what we know about animal developmental genetics and cell biology was figured out at least in part by studying development in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans.
Round worms are known to be intestinal parasites.
Tnx for correcting :)
I can't tell for sure in the photo, but they might be roundworms (nematodes) rather than earthworms (annelids). Whatever they are, nice job spotting these tiny critters!