Nematomorpha
/nɛˌmatəˈmɔːfə
/plural noun Zoology
A small phylum that comprises the horsehair worms.They concluded that Gastrotricha is the sister-taxon of a monophyletic clade comprising Nematoda, Nematomorpha, Priapulida, Kinorhyncha and Loricifera....
- The recently published Ecdysozoa hypothesis suggests a closer relationship of the Scalidophora, Nematode, Nematomorpha, Tardigrada, Onychophora, and Arthropoda.
- These are the horsehair worms or Nematomorpha and the Gastrotricha.
Derivatives
nematomorph
- Other organisms placed in the Ecdysozoa include kinorhynchs, priapulids, nematomorphs, onychophorans and tardigrades.
- The Ecdysozoa, all of which molt and lack motile locomotory cilia, include priapulids, kinorhynchs, nematodes, nematomorphs, tardigrades, onychophorans, and arthropods.
- On the other hand, one species of parasitic nematode can reach 13 meters in length - it parasitizes the sperm whale - and adult nematomorphs, chaetognaths, and some priapulids are also visible to the naked eye.
Origin
Modern Latin (plural), from Greek nēma, nēmat- 'thread' + morphē 'form'.