![]() All known, bar a single species from North America, Gordius terrestris, whose biology was only described in 2021, Gordian Worms require water to live in as adults, which is the free-living and reproductive stage.Īs many of their hosts are terrestrial they have evolved the ability to force their hosts to seek out aquatic environments when they are ready to leave the host. Usually an insect in the majority of species, however the few marine species use crustaceans as their primary host. They are most probably closely related to the nematodes and like them they move by muscularly induced, undulating waves passing along the body.Īll known species are parasites and use arthropods as their primary host. They derived this name from the mating habits of certain species who mate in a tangled bundle that to some people resembled the fabled Gordian Knot of Greek mythology. The nematomorpha have a second common name, Gordian Worms. Thus, before the advent of modern science, it was believed they arose spontaneously from the hairs from horse tails that fell into the water. They are called Horsehair Worms because they used to be found in horse watering troughs and they look like the hairs from a horses tail. They are a smallish phylum, with about 361 known species. The nematomorpha (Horsehair Worms) are relatively long, thin worms (1-3 mm diametre and 10-100 cm length).
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