pentastomida

3 definitions found

pentastomida - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Pentastomida \Pen`ta*stom"i*da\, n. pl. [NL., fr. ? (see
     Penta-) + ? a mouth.] (Zool.)
     Same as Linguatulina.
     [1913 Webster]

  Linguatulina \Lin*guat`u*li"na\
     (l[i^][ng]*gw[a^]t`[-u]*l[imac]"n[.a]), n. pl. [NL., fr. L.
     lingua tongue.] (Zool.)
     An order of wormlike, degraded, parasitic arachnids. They
     have two pairs of retractile hooks, near the mouth. Called
     also Pentastomida.
     [1913 Webster]
  
     Note: The adults of some species inhabit the nostrils and
           nasal sinuses of dogs and other carnivores. The young,
           after being swallowed by sheep, rabbits, etc., find
           their way to the lungs and liver and become encysted.
           These, when eaten by carnivores, develop into the adult
           forms.
           [1913 Webster]

pentastomida - WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005) :

  Pentastomida
      n 1: tongue worms [syn: Pentastomida, subphylum Pentastomida
           ]