Nematomorpha

Nematomorpha

Nematomorpha are a phylum of parasitoid animals superficially similar to nematode worms in morphology. Most species range in size from 50 to 100 millimetres long, reaching 2 metres in extreme cases. Adult worms are free-living, but the larvae are parasitic on arthropods, such as beetles, cockroaches, mantids, orthopterans, and crustaceans.

About Nematomorpha in brief

Summary NematomorphaNematomorpha are a phylum of parasitoid animals superficially similar to nematode worms in morphology, hence the name. Most species range in size from 50 to 100 millimetres long, reaching 2 metres in extreme cases. The adult worms are free-living, but the larvae are parasitic on arthropods, such as beetles, cockroaches, mantids, orthopterans, and crustaceans. About 351 freshwater species are known and a conservative estimate suggests that there may be about 2000 freshwater species worldwide.

Nematomorphs can be confused with nematodes, particularly mermithid worms, but mermithids do not have a terminal cloaca. The phylum is placed along with the Ecdysozoa clade of moulting organisms that include the Arthropoda. The two phyla make up the group Nematoida in the clade Cycloneuralia.