Nervous System of earthworm

The nervous system control and coordinates the various activities of the body. The nervous system is
well developed in earthworm. It is divided into three parts.

1. Central nervous system (CNS): - It comprises nerve ring and ventral nerve cord. It consists of a mass
of nervous tissue concentrated dorsally to the pharynx in the peristomium hence it is known as
Supra-pharyngeal ganglia. It is a pair of white pear shape ganglia (cerebral ganglia) lies in the 3rd
segment in the groove separating the buccal chamber from the pharynx. The two ganglia fused to
form a bilobed mass called Brain. A pair of ganglia runs back toward the 4th segment on either side of
the pharynx through circum oesophageal commissure. Each connective or commissure fused to form
sub- pharyngeal ganglia in the 4th segment ventrally. In this way a complete nerve ring is formed
around the pharynx. The ventral nerve cord is a pair of long white thread like structure arising from
sub pharyngeal ganglia it runs back to the last segment along the mid ventral region below the
alimentary canal. In each segment the ventral nerve cord bears a swelling mass, which represent a
pair of fused segmental ganglia. The ventral nerve cord is covered by a visceral perineurium. It
consists of three layers, outer peritoneum, middle longitudinal muscles and inner fibrous layers of
epineurium.
2. Peripheral nervous system (PNS): - The PNS consists of nerve cells and nerve fibres. The nerves arise
from CNS. The cerebral ganglia give off 8-10 pairs of nerves which innervate the prostomium, buccal
cavity and pharynx. The two pairs of lateral nerve arise from circum oesophageal connectives. It
supplied to the peristomium and buccal chamber. The sub pharyngeal ganglia give off three pairs of
lateral nerve and innervate the 2nd, 3rd and 4th segments of the body. The segmental ganglia give off
three pairs of lateral ventral nerve, one pair in front and two pair behind the segment. The
segmental nerve innervates the gut wall and body wall.
3. Autonomic nervous system (Sympathetic): - It consists of nerve plexux supply beneath the epidermis
and alimentary canal. The plexux are connected with circum pharyngeal connectives. It serves to
coordinate the function of concern organs.

In earthworm, the nerves are mixed type ie; both sensory (afferent) and motor (efferent) nerves are
present. The sensory nerve carry external sensory stimuli to the CNS and motor nerve conduct impulse
to the effecter organs from CNS. The path is followed by impulse in reflex action, called Reflex arc.