Other Free Encyclopedias :: Animal Life Resource :: Jellyfishes, Sponges, and Other Simple Animals

Hair Worms: Nematomorpha - Physical Characteristics, Behavior And Reproduction, No Common Name (paragordius Varius): Species Account - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, DIET, HAIR WORMS AND PEOPLE, CONSERVATION STATUS

NO COMMON NAME (Paragordius varius): SPECIES ACCOUNT

GEOGRAPHIC RANGE

Hair worms live all over the world except Antarctica.

HABITAT

One type of hair worm lives in sea animals such as crabs and shrimp. The other type lives in insects such as crickets, grasshoppers, and beetles.

The worms that live in insects usually are found in slow-moving freshwater streams or ponds. In streams the worms are either attached to plants hanging over the banks or live between rocks on the bottom. In the sea, hair worms live anywhere from beaches to the sea floor.

DIET

Adult hair worms do not eat. Young worms absorb nutrients from their hosts.

HAIR WORMS AND PEOPLE

Hair worms do not infect humans.

WHAT'S IN A NAME?

Masses of hair worms form large knots during mating. Hundreds of worms often can be found in a seemingly undoable tangle. For this reason, these worms sometimes are called Gordian worms. The Gordian knot was made by a mythical ruler who declared the person who untied it would be the leader of all Asia. Along came Alexander the Great, who sliced through the knot with one stroke of his sword.

CONSERVATION STATUS

Hair worms are not considered threatened or endangered.

Hair Worms: Nematomorpha - Physical Characteristics

Hair Worms: Nematomorpha - Behavior And Reproduction

Hair Worms: Nematomorpha - No Common Name (paragordius Varius): Species Account

Citing this material

Please include a link to this page if you have found this material useful for research or writing a related article. Content on this website is from high-quality, licensed material originally published in print form. You can always be sure you're reading unbiased, factual, and accurate information.

Highlight the text below, right-click, and select “copy”. Paste the link into your website, email, or any other HTML document.

<a href="http://animals.jrank.org/pages/1565/Hair-Worms-Nematomorpha.html">Hair Worms: Nematomorpha - Physical Characteristics, Behavior And Reproduction, No Common Name (paragordius Varius): Species Account - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, DIET, HAIR WORMS AND PEOPLE, CONSERVATION STATUS</a>

User Comments Add a comment…

Thorny-Headed Worms: Acanthocephala - Physical Characteristics, Behavior And Reproduction, Thorny-headed Worms And People, No Common Name (moniliformis Moniliformis): Species Accounts - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, DIET, CONSERVATION STATUS [next] [back] Secernenteans: Secernentea - Physical Characteristics, Behavior And Reproduction, Secernenteans And People, Canine Heartworm (dirofilaria Immitis): Species Accounts - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, DIET, CONSERVATION STATUS