lepisma saccharina

3 definitions found

lepisma saccharina - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Silverfish \Sil"ver*fish`\, n.
     1. (Zool.)
        (a) The tarpum.
        (b) A white variety of the goldfish.
            [1913 Webster]
  
     2. one of a variety of insects of the order Thysanura,
        especially Lepisma saccharina, which may infest houses,
        and eats starched clothing and sized papers. See
        Lepisma.
        [PJC]

  Lepisma \Le*pis"ma\ (l[-e]*p[i^]z"m[.a]), n. [NL., fr. Gr.
     le`pisma peel, fr. lepi`s -i`dos, a scale.] (Zool.)
     A genus of wingless thysanurous insects having an elongated
     flattened body, covered with shining scales and terminated by
     seven unequal bristles. A common species (Lepisma saccharina
     ) is found in houses, and often injures books and
     furniture; it feeds on starch and eats sized paper and
     starched clothes. Called also shiner, silverfish, silver witch
     , silver moth, and furniture bug.
     [1913 Webster +PJC]

lepisma saccharina - WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005) :

  Lepisma saccharina
      n 1: silver-grey wingless insect found in houses feeding on book
           bindings and starched clothing [syn: silverfish, Lepisma saccharina
           ]