A roundworm with an unsegmented, cylindrical body and a pseudocoelom. They are found in virtually every environment on Earth and include both free-living and parasitic species.
From Greek 'nema' (thread) and 'eidos' (form), meaning 'thread-like.' The term was coined in the mid-19th century by German naturalist Karl Rudolphi to describe these thread-like worms.
Nematodes are probably the most abundant animals on Earth—scientists estimate there are about 57 billion nematodes for every human! They've been found everywhere from Antarctic ice to deep ocean trenches, and some can survive being completely dried out for decades.
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