shipworm

ship·worm

S0349000 (shĭp′wûrm′)n. Any of various wormlike marine bivalve mollusks of the family Teredinidae, especially Teredo navalis, that have rudimentary shells with which they bore into wood, often doing extensive damage to ships and wharves. Also called teredo.

shipworm

(ˈʃɪpˌwɜːm) n (Animals) any wormlike marine bivalve mollusc of the genus Teredo and related genera and family Teredinidae. They bore into wooden piers, ships, etc, by means of drill-like shell valves. See also piddock

ship•worm

(ˈʃɪpˌwɜrm)

n. any of various wormlike marine bivalve mollusks of the family Teredinidae, that burrow into the timbers of ships, wharves, etc. [1770–80]

Thesaurus

Noun

shipworm - wormlike marine bivalve that bores into wooden piers and ships by means of drill-like shellsteredinidclam - burrowing marine mollusk living on sand or mud; the shell closes with viselike firmnessfamily Teredinidae, Teredinidae - shipwormsteredo - typical shipwormBankia setaceae, giant northwest shipworm - giant shipworm of the Pacific coast of North America

shipworm

teredo

(tĕrē`dō), marine bivalvebivalve,
aquatic mollusk of the class Pelecypoda ("hatchet-foot") or Bivalvia, with a laterally compressed body and a shell consisting of two valves, or movable pieces, hinged by an elastic ligament.
..... Click the link for more information. mollusk of the family Teredinidae, specialized for boring in wood. A shipworm is not a worm, but a greatly elongated clamclam,
common name for certain bivalve mollusks, especially for marine species that live buried in mud or sand and have valves (the two pieces of the shell) of equal size.
..... Click the link for more information. . Its two shells, enclosing only the front end of the body, function as a tool, rather than a protective covering; their ridged and roughened surfaces are used for boring. The burrow (lined with a calcareous coating produced by the clam's mantle) is begun when the animal is in its larval stage and is expanded as it grows. The common shipworm of the North Atlantic Ocean, Teredo navalis, may grow up to 2 ft (60 cm) long, although its shells remain only 1-2 in. (12 mm) long. Shipworms feed on wood particles and minute organisms. They do enormous damage to piers and ships, and although they are deterred by chemicals, control is still a problem. Shipworms are classified in the phylum MolluscaMollusca
, taxonomic name for the one of the largest phyla of invertebrate animals (Arthropoda is the largest) comprising more than 50,000 living mollusk species and about 35,000 fossil species dating back to the Cambrian period.
..... Click the link for more information. , class Pelecypoda or Bivalvia, order Eulamellibranchia, family Teredinidae.

shipworm

[′ship‚wərm] (invertebrate zoology) Any of several bivalve mollusk species belonging to the family Teredinidae and which superficially resemble earthworms because the two valves are reduced to a pair of plates at the anterior of the animal or are used for boring into wood.

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teredo

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Synonyms for shipworm

noun wormlike marine bivalve that bores into wooden piers and ships by means of drill-like shells

Synonyms

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