Linguatula serrata

Lin·guat·u·la ser·ra·'ta

a species most common in Europe, but also found in the U.S., South America, and probably elsewhere; the adult is a whitish, soft, flattened, anulated worm equipped with hooks by which it attaches itself to the nasal mucosa of dogs and other canids; the larvae develop in the liver and lymph nodes of rodents, swine, cattle, and sometimes humans and other primates. Synonym(s): Linguatula rhinaria

Linguatula serrata

(ling-gwa′chŭ-lă se-rāt′ă) An arthropod parasite in snakes, commonly known as the tongue worm. Its larvae, nymphs, and adults occasionally infect humans. Ingested infective larvae migrate to the nasal passages and may cause a parasitic nasopharyngeal obstruction known as linguatulosis.