horsehair worm

any long, slender worm of the phylum Nematomorpha, developing parasitically on insects and crustaceans, and free-living as adults in streams and ponds. Also called gordian worm, nematomorph.

[1745-55]

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or hairworm or gordian worm

Any of about 250–300 species (class Nematomorpha, or Gordiacea; phylum Aschelminthes) of long, thin worms.

The young are parasites in arthropods; the adults are free-living in the sea or in freshwater. The hairlike body sometimes grows to a length of about 39 in. (1 m).

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▪ aschelminths class

also called  hairworm , or  gordian worm 

 any of the approximately 250 to 300 species of the class Nematomorpha, or Gordiacea (phylum Aschelminthes). The young of these long, thin worms are parasitic in arthropods. The adults are free-living in the sea or in freshwater. The hairlike body sometimes grows to a length of 1 m (about 39 inches).

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