horsehair worm

English - English

Definition of horsehair worm in English English dictionary

Any of various slender aquatic worms of the phylum Nematomorpha, the larvae of which are parasitic within insects. Also called hairworm. 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)

Hyphenation

horse·hair worm