How do annelids reproduce?

• A. Sexual (hermaphrodites) and asexual (regeneration)
• B. Sexual only
• C. Asexual only
• D. Parthenogenesis

Answer: (A)

Annelids use both sexual and asexual reproduction. Many annelids are hermaphrodites, meaning each individual has both male and female reproductive organs, and they exchange sperm with another worm during mating. Fertilization happens internally, and the eggs are laid in a protective cocoon secreted by the clitellum. On the asexual side, some annelids can reproduce by regeneration after fragmentation, with a piece of the body growing into a complete new individual. Some polychaetes also reproduce by fission, splitting into two parts that each regenerate the missing segments. Because annelids can reproduce in these two distinct ways, the description that includes both sexual and asexual reproduction best captures how they reproduce.