On the anaerobic Metabolisms of earthworm

1. In the vessel which completely filled with common water and shut from air, the earthworm during 2 hours shows an average O(2)-intake of 0.07109mg. and CO(2)-output of 0.16449mg. per hour and per g. of bodyweight. The respiratory quotients are always above 1. Twenty hours later O2-intake decreases to 0.02365mg. and CO(2)-output to 0.06099mg. per hour and g. These facts indicate that the worms exhale cabon dioxide more than the amount which formed by oxidation during the same time. A. fermentative production of CO(2) in the body is Plausible. 2. In 0.01% monoiodo-acetic acid solution the worms take 0 05208mg. of oxygen and put out 0.2786mg. of carbon dioxide per hour and g. of bodyweight. Twenty hours later O(2)-intake sunk to 0 02036mg. CO(2)-output to 0.04845mg. It seems to take place in the tissues of earthworms some degree of oxidative processes in addition to fermentation. 3. During 11 hours in nitrogen atmosphare glycogen-content of the tissue of earthworm decreases from 1.217g. to 0.353g. per 100g. of earthworms. 4. The worms staying in the medium of 0.01% mouoiodo-acetic acid solution during 7.4 hours decrease their glycogen-contents to 0.228g. per 100g. of worms. 5. On normal worms 16 hours in nitrogen, I found 2.9cc. of valerie acid per hour and 100g. of worms; on the worms poisoned with monoiodo-acetic acid 4.32cc. per hour and 100g. of worms. 6. From (3) aud (4), it makes probable that the source of energy in anaerobic life of worms owes to the breakdown of glycogen into CO(2) and fatty acid, and one part to the oxidation of glycogen. 7. As another supporting fact I Gan point out that the blood of earthworms has coloured blood which contained haemoglobin. From these facts we can conclude that the life of earthworm is not absolute anaerobic but facultative.