tongue worm

tongue worm

n.

Any of numerous tongue-shaped, soft-bodied, colorless invertebrates of the phylum Pentastoma that live embedded in the lungs, nostrils, or nasal sinuses of various mammals, reptiles, and birds, especially in tropical and subtropical regions. Also called pentastome.

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tongue worm

n

(Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Veterinary Science) Vet science a parasitic worm, Linguatula serrata, found in the nose of dogs, so called because of the shape of the worm

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tongue worm

Any of various small, colorless, tongue-shaped, wormlike invertebrates of the group Pentastoma, which is considered by many zoologists to be a phylum intermediate in evolutionary development between the annelids and arthropods. Tongue worms are parasites that live embedded in the respiratory systems of vertebrates, especially reptiles and also humans, in tropical regions. They have simple nervous and digestive systems but lack circulatory and respiratory systems. Also called pentastome.

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

tongue worm - wormlike arthropod having two pairs of hooks at the sides of the mouth; parasitic in nasal sinuses of mammals pentastomid arthropod - invertebrate having jointed limbs and a segmented body with an exoskeleton made of chitin Pentastomida, subphylum Pentastomida - tongue worms