Nematomorpha (sometimes called Gordiacea, and commonly known as horsehair worms, hairsnakes, [1][2][3] or Gordian worms) are a phylum of parasitoid animals superficially similar to nematode worms in morphology, hence the name.

The hairworm is a prime example of this, forcing its grasshopper host to leap to its death so the hairworm can swim away happily. Including an introduction to parasite-host relationships, the main content in this volume will fascinate readers and supports the science curriculum.

May 13, 2010 · Nematomorpha (Hairworm), better known as the “horsehair worm,” is one of the most unusual parasitic worms on earth today. What’s so unusual about them (well at least one unusual thing about them) is where they prefer to live.

The common name of the nematomorphs, ‘horsehair worm’ or ‘hairworm,’ arises from their long filariform, cylindrical morphology. Adult body size among the approximately 350 described species varies considerably, ranging from a few centimeters in length to over 2 m.

May 30, 2001 · PDF | The phylum Nematomorpha, the hairworms, occurs worldwide. All members are developmental parasites of aquatic or terrestrial invertebrates.

The parasitic Nematomorph hairworm, Spinochordodes tellinii (Camerano) develops inside the terrestrial grasshopper, Meconema thalassinum (De Geer) (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae), changing the insect's responses to water.

Aug 1, 2020 · • Hairworms (Nematomorpha) are a unique group of invertebrate parasites. • Hairworm adults are free‐living and occur in fresh or saltwater. • After hatching, the microscopic larvae enter and...

Using as a model the hairworm, Paragordius tricuspidatus, (parasitizing the cricket Nemobius sylvestris) and the fish predator Micropterus salmoïdes, we explored, with proteomics tools, the physiological basis of this anti-predator response.

We showed that hairworm infection fundamentally modifies cricket behavior by inducing directed responses to light, a condition from which they mostly recover once the parasite is released. This study supports the idea that host manipulation by parasites is subtle, complex, and multidimensional.

Jul 18, 2023 · A new study in the journal Current Biology reveals another strange trait shared by different hairworm species: they're missing about 30% of the genes that researchers expected them to have.