What condition must the epidermis of an earthworm maintain for the process of cutaneous respiration to function?
Answer
Consistently moist
Many terrestrial worms, most notably the earthworm, depend entirely on cutaneous respiration for gas exchange. This process involves the direct absorption of necessary oxygen and the expulsion of carbon dioxide across the outer covering, or epidermis. For this diffusion process to occur effectively across the skin surface, the epidermis must remain continuously moist. If the skin dries out, the necessary medium for gas exchange is lost, leading to suffocation because the worm cannot efficiently obtain oxygen through any other means.
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