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Helminthes

(Science: zoology) One of the grand divisions or branches of the animal Kingdom. It is a large group including a vast number of species, most of which are parasitic.

Synonym: enthelminthes, Enthelmintha.

The following classes are included, with others of less importance: cestoidea (tapeworms), trematodea (flukes, etc), turbellaria (planarians), acanthocephala (thornheads), nematoidea (roundworms, trichina, gordius), nemertina (nemerteans). See Plathelminthes, and Nemathelminthes.

Origin: NL, fr. Gr, a worm.