The gizzard is highly muscular structure. Their muscular contractions grinds the food with the aid of the mineral particles taken with the food. The crop and gizzard are much forward in some species of worms. In Megascolecidae and Octochaetidae, they are immediately behind the pharynx. Earthworms may have 1 to 10 gizzards and each occupying one segment. The number and position of the gizzard(s) have been used in distinguishing the earthworm genera but their position should be determined carefully as some of the septa in this region are either absent or very delicate which may break as worm is opened.

Fig: Dorsal view of gizzard in: A. Polypheretima elongata; B. Eudichogaster ashworthi; C. Drawida pellucida