Worms are many different distantly related bilateral animals that typically have a long cylindrical tube-like body, no limbs, and no eyes (though not always).
White tentacles of Loimia medusa, a spaghetti worm
Worms vary in size from microscopic to over 1 metre (3.3 ft) in length for marine polychaete worms (bristle worms);[1] 6.7 metres (22 ft) for the African giant earthworm, Microchaetus rappi;[2] and 58 metres (190 ft) for the marine nemertean worm (bootlace worm), Lineus longissimus.[3] Various types of worm occupy a small variety of parasitic niches, living inside the bodies of other animals. Free-living worm species do not live on land but instead live in marine or freshwater environments or underground by burrowing.
Worms may also be called helminths—particularly in medical terminology—when referring to parasitic worms, especially the Nematoda (roundworms) and Cestoda (tapeworms) which reside in the intestines of their host. When an animal or human is said to "have worms", it means that it is infested with parasitic worms, typically roundworms or tapeworms. Lungworm is also a common parasitic worm found in various animal species such as fish and cats.
In taxonomy, "worm" refers to an obsolete grouping, Vermes, used by Carl Linnaeus and Jean-Baptiste Lamarck for all non-arthropodinvertebrateanimals, now seen to be polyphyletic. In 1758, Linnaeus created the first hierarchical classification in his Systema Naturae.[4] In his original scheme, the animals were one of three kingdoms, divided into the classes of Vermes, Insecta, Pisces, Amphibia, Aves, and Mammalia. Since then the last four have all been subsumed into a single phylum, the Chordata, while his Insecta (which included the crustaceans and arachnids) and Vermes have been renamed or broken up. The process was begun in 1793 by Lamarck, who called the Vermes une espèce de chaos (a sort of chaos)[a] and split the group into three new phyla, worms, echinoderms, and polyps (which contained corals and jellyfish). By 1809, in his Philosophie Zoologique, Lamarck had created 9 phyla apart from vertebrates (where he still had 4 phyla: mammals, birds, reptiles, and fish) and molluscs, namely cirripedes, annelids, crustaceans, arachnids, insects, worms, radiates, polyps, and infusorians.[6]Chordates are remarkably wormlike by ancestry.[7]
Informal grouping
In the 13th century, worms were recognized in Europe as part of the category of reptiles that consisted of a miscellany of egg-laying creatures, including "snakes, various fantastic monsters, lizards, assorted amphibians," as recorded by Vincent of Beauvais in his Mirror of Nature.[8] In everyday language, the term worm is also applied to various other living forms such as larvae, insects, millipedes, centipedes, shipworms (teredo worms), or even some vertebrates (creatures with a backbone) such as blindworms and caecilians. Worms include several groups.
The first group Platyhelminthes includes the flatworms, tapeworms, and flukes. They have a flat, ribbon- or leaf-shaped body with a pair of eyes at the front. Some are parasites.
The second group contains the threadworms, roundworms, and hookworms. This phylum is called Nematoda. Threadworms may be microscopic, such as the vinegar eelworm, or more than 1-metre (3 feet) long. They are found in damp earth, moss, decaying substances, fresh water, or salt water. Some roundworms are also parasites: the Guinea worm, for example, gets under the skin of the feet and legs of people living in tropical countries.
The third group consists of the segmented worms, with bodies divided into segments or rings. This phylum is called Annelida. Among these worms are the earthworms and the bristle worms of the sea.
Worms may also be called helminths, particularly in medical terminology when referring to parasitic worms, especially the Nematoda (roundworms) and Cestoda (tapeworms). Hence, "helminthology" is the study of parasitic worms. When a human or an animal, such as a dog or horse, is said to "have worms", it means that it is infested with parasitic worms, typically roundworms or tapeworms. Deworming is a method to kill off the worms that have infected a human or animal by giving anthelmintic drugs.
"Ringworm" is not a worm at all, but a skin fungus.
Lobopodians are an informal grouping of extinct panarthropods from the Cambrian to the Carboniferous that are often called worms or "worm like animals" despite the fact they had legs in the form of stubby lobopods. Likewise, the extant Onychophora are sometimes called velvet worms despite possessing stubby legs.
^"Cornwall – Nature – Superstar Worm". BBC. 7 April 2009.
^. 2 October 2005. Archived from the original on 19 February 2009.;
^Carwardine, Mark (1995). The Guinness book of animal records. Enfield: Guinness Publishing. p. 232. ISBN978-0851126586.
^Linnaeus, Carl (1758). Systema naturae per regna tria naturae: secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis (in Latin) (10th ed.). Holmiae (Laurentii Salvii). from the original on 10 October 2008. Retrieved 22 September 2008.
^"Espèce de". Reverso Dictionnaire. Retrieved 1 March 2018.
^Brown, Federico D.; Prendergast, Andrew; Swalla, Billie J. (2008). "Man is but a worm: Chordate origins". Genesis. 46 (11): 605–613. doi:10.1002/dvg.20471. PMID 19003926.
^Franklin-Brown, Mary (2012). Reading the world: encyclopedic writing in the scholastic age. Chicago London: The University of Chicago Press. p. 223;377. ISBN9780226260709.
January 26, 2023
worm, other, uses, disambiguation, many, different, distantly, related, bilateral, animals, that, typically, have, long, cylindrical, tube, like, body, limbs, eyes, though, always, lumbricus, terrestris, earthworm, white, tentacles, loimia, medusa, spaghetti, . For other uses see Worm disambiguation Worms are many different distantly related bilateral animals that typically have a long cylindrical tube like body no limbs and no eyes though not always Lumbricus terrestris an earthworm White tentacles of Loimia medusa a spaghetti worm Worms vary in size from microscopic to over 1 metre 3 3 ft in length for marine polychaete worms bristle worms 1 6 7 metres 22 ft for the African giant earthworm Microchaetus rappi 2 and 58 metres 190 ft for the marine nemertean worm bootlace worm Lineus longissimus 3 Various types of worm occupy a small variety of parasitic niches living inside the bodies of other animals Free living worm species do not live on land but instead live in marine or freshwater environments or underground by burrowing In biology worm refers to an obsolete taxon vermes used by Carolus Linnaeus and Jean Baptiste Lamarck for all non arthropod invertebrate animals now seen to be paraphyletic The name stems from the Old English word wyrm Most animals called worms are invertebrates but the term is also used for the amphibian caecilians and the slowworm Anguis a legless burrowing lizard Invertebrate animals commonly called worms include annelids earthworms and marine polychaete or bristle worms nematodes roundworms platyhelminthes flatworms marine nemertean worms bootlace worms marine Chaetognatha arrow worms priapulid worms and insect larvae such as grubs and maggots Worms may also be called helminths particularly in medical terminology when referring to parasitic worms especially the Nematoda roundworms and Cestoda tapeworms which reside in the intestines of their host When an animal or human is said to have worms it means that it is infested with parasitic worms typically roundworms or tapeworms Lungworm is also a common parasitic worm found in various animal species such as fish and cats Contents 1 History 2 Informal grouping 3 Society and culture 4 See also 5 Notes 6 ReferencesHistoryFurther information Vermes and Animal History of classification Paragordius tricuspidatus a nematomorphan Pseudoceros dimidiatus a flatworm In taxonomy worm refers to an obsolete grouping Vermes used by Carl Linnaeus and Jean Baptiste Lamarck for all non arthropod invertebrate animals now seen to be polyphyletic In 1758 Linnaeus created the first hierarchical classification in his Systema Naturae 4 In his original scheme the animals were one of three kingdoms divided into the classes of Vermes Insecta Pisces Amphibia Aves and Mammalia Since then the last four have all been subsumed into a single phylum the Chordata while his Insecta which included the crustaceans and arachnids and Vermes have been renamed or broken up The process was begun in 1793 by Lamarck who called the Vermes une espece de chaos a sort of chaos a and split the group into three new phyla worms echinoderms and polyps which contained corals and jellyfish By 1809 in his Philosophie Zoologique Lamarck had created 9 phyla apart from vertebrates where he still had 4 phyla mammals birds reptiles and fish and molluscs namely cirripedes annelids crustaceans arachnids insects worms radiates polyps and infusorians 6 Chordates are remarkably wormlike by ancestry 7 Informal groupingIn the 13th century worms were recognized in Europe as part of the category of reptiles that consisted of a miscellany of egg laying creatures including snakes various fantastic monsters lizards assorted amphibians as recorded by Vincent of Beauvais in his Mirror of Nature 8 In everyday language the term worm is also applied to various other living forms such as larvae insects millipedes centipedes shipworms teredo worms or even some vertebrates creatures with a backbone such as blindworms and caecilians Worms include several groups The first group Platyhelminthes includes the flatworms tapeworms and flukes They have a flat ribbon or leaf shaped body with a pair of eyes at the front Some are parasites The second group contains the threadworms roundworms and hookworms This phylum is called Nematoda Threadworms may be microscopic such as the vinegar eelworm or more than 1 metre 3 feet long They are found in damp earth moss decaying substances fresh water or salt water Some roundworms are also parasites the Guinea worm for example gets under the skin of the feet and legs of people living in tropical countries The third group consists of the segmented worms with bodies divided into segments or rings This phylum is called Annelida Among these worms are the earthworms and the bristle worms of the sea Familiar worms include the earthworms members of phylum Annelida Other invertebrate groups may be called worms especially colloquially In particular many unrelated insect larvae are called worms such as the railroad worm woodworm glowworm bloodworm butterworm inchworm mealworm silkworm and woolly bear worm Worms may also be called helminths particularly in medical terminology when referring to parasitic worms especially the Nematoda roundworms and Cestoda tapeworms Hence helminthology is the study of parasitic worms When a human or an animal such as a dog or horse is said to have worms it means that it is infested with parasitic worms typically roundworms or tapeworms Deworming is a method to kill off the worms that have infected a human or animal by giving anthelmintic drugs Ringworm is not a worm at all but a skin fungus Lobopodians are an informal grouping of extinct panarthropods from the Cambrian to the Carboniferous that are often called worms or worm like animals despite the fact they had legs in the form of stubby lobopods Likewise the extant Onychophora are sometimes called velvet worms despite possessing stubby legs Society and cultureSee also List of fictional worms and Fictional depictions of worms Wyrm was the Old English term for carnivorous reptiles serpents and mythical dragons Worm has also been used as a pejorative epithet to describe a cowardly weak or pitiable person Worms can also be farmed for the production of nutrient rich vermicompost See alsoSea worm lists various types of marine worms Worm cast Worm charmingNotes The prefix une espece de is pejorative 5 References Cornwall Nature Superstar Worm BBC 7 April 2009 Worm Digest The Mighty Worm 2 October 2005 Archived from the original on 19 February 2009 Carwardine Mark 1995 The Guinness book of animal records Enfield Guinness Publishing p 232 ISBN 978 0851126586 Linnaeus Carl 1758 Systema naturae per regna tria naturae secundum classes ordines genera species cum characteribus differentiis synonymis locis in Latin 10th ed Holmiae Laurentii Salvii Archived from the original on 10 October 2008 Retrieved 22 September 2008 Espece de Reverso Dictionnaire Retrieved 1 March 2018 Gould Stephen Jay 2011 The Lying Stones of Marrakech Harvard University Press pp 130 134 ISBN 978 0 674 06167 5 Brown Federico D Prendergast Andrew Swalla Billie J 2008 Man is but a worm Chordate origins Genesis 46 11 605 613 doi 10 1002 dvg 20471 PMID 19003926 Franklin Brown Mary 2012 Reading the world encyclopedic writing in the scholastic age Chicago London The University of Chicago Press p 223 377 ISBN 9780226260709 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Worm amp oldid 1134805144, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
