Heteronereid

/ˌhɛtəroʊˈnɛriːɪd/ noun

Definition

A marine worm belonging to the family Nereididae that exhibits heteronereis, a form showing different body structures than the typical form.

Etymology

From Greek hetero- (different) and Nereid (from Nereus, the sea god), combined with -id (member of a group), referring to polychaete worms with variable morphological forms.

Kelly Says

These sea worms are shape-shifters of the ocean floor—they can switch between a crawling form and a swimming form, completely changing their body structure depending on whether they need to hunt or escape!

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.