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fireworm

 - 2 dictionary results

fire⋅worm

[fahyuhr-wurm]
–noun
1. the larva of any of several moths, as Rhopobota naevana (black-headed fireworm), which feeds on the leaves of cranberries and causes them to wither.
2. glowworm.

Origin:
1560–70; fire + worm
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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Encyclopedia

fireworm

any of certain segmented marine worms of the class Polychaeta (phylum Annelida), including species of the genera Hermodice and Eurythoe. Fireworms produce a stinging sensation if touched. The body of H. carunculata, found in the coral reefs of the Caribbean Sea, is covered with fine, white, brittle bristles that break if touched; they easily become imbedded in human skin and produce a substance that is highly irritating.

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Encyclopedia Britannica, 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
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