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<h2 id="history">History</h2> <p class="note">Further information: <a href="/facts/Vermes/L0fUJ8em">Vermes</a> and <a href="/facts/Animal/4b8J33nd">Animal § History of classification</a></p> <p>In taxonomy, "worm" refers to an obsolete grouping, <i><a href="/facts/Vermes/L0fUJ8em">Vermes</a></i>, used by <a href="/facts/Carl_Linnaeus/gy5HWkHS">Carl Linnaeus</a> and <a href="/facts/Jean-Baptiste_Lamarck/3lxaPmqM">Jean-Baptiste Lamarck</a> for all non-<a href="/facts/Arthropod/JKJLTFzp">arthropod</a> <a href="/facts/Invertebrate/3CyqCVnN">invertebrate</a> <a href="/facts/Animal/4b8J33nd">animals</a>, now seen to be <a href="/facts/Polyphyletic/o7lxKY74">polyphyletic</a>. In 1758, Linnaeus created the first <a href="/facts/Hierarchical_classification/QDebhC1y">hierarchical classification</a> in his <i><a href="/facts/Systema_Naturae/8o4rU1DD">Systema Naturae</a></i>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:4" href="#fn:4"><sup>4</sup></a> In his original scheme, the animals were one of three kingdoms, divided into the classes of <a href="/facts/Vermes_in_the_10th_edition_of_Systema_Naturae/U2GhwkJM">Vermes</a>, <a href="/facts/Insecta_in_the_10th_edition_of_Systema_Naturae/RhwIcHpl">Insecta</a>, <a href="/facts/Pisces_in_the_10th_edition_of_Systema_Naturae/W4yN8zSI">Pisces</a>, <a href="/facts/Amphibia_in_the_10th_edition_of_Systema_Naturae/GLY66t2e">Amphibia</a>, <a href="/facts/Aves_in_the_10th_edition_of_Systema_Naturae/rfJmpQcL">Aves</a>, and <a href="/facts/Mammalia_in_the_10th_edition_of_Systema_Naturae/thnHh2Qo">Mammalia</a>. Since then the last four have all been subsumed into a single phylum, the <a href="/facts/Chordate/AldL6ARm">Chordata</a>, while his Insecta (which included the crustaceans and arachnids) and Vermes have been renamed or broken up. The process was begun in 1793 by Lamarck, who called the Vermes <i>une espèce de chaos</i> (a sort of chaos)<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:5" href="#fn:5"><sup>5</sup></a> and split the group into three new phyla, worms, echinoderms, and polyps (which contained corals and jellyfish). By 1809, in his <i><a href="/facts/Philosophie_Zoologique/jh109E3x">Philosophie Zoologique</a></i>, Lamarck had created 9 phyla apart from vertebrates (where he still had 4 phyla: mammals, birds, reptiles, and fish) and molluscs, namely <a href="/facts/Cirripede/cF33rlfE">cirripedes</a>, annelids, crustaceans, arachnids, insects, worms, <a href="/facts/Radiata/89tVkW0k">radiates</a>, polyps, and <a href="/facts/Infusoria/oLTsxd6c">infusorians</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:6" href="#fn:6"><sup>6</sup></a> <a href="/facts/Chordates/AldL6ARm">Chordates</a> are remarkably wormlike by ancestry.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:7" href="#fn:7"><sup>7</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="informal-grouping">Informal grouping</h2> <p>In the 13th century, worms were recognized in Europe as part of the category of <i>reptiles</i> that consisted of a miscellany of egg-laying creatures, including "snakes, various fantastic monsters, lizards, assorted amphibians", as recorded by <a href="/facts/Vincent_of_Beauvais/DTjvIb3y">Vincent of Beauvais</a> in his <i>Mirror of Nature</i>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:8" href="#fn:8"><sup>8</sup></a> In everyday language, the term <i>worm</i> is also applied to various other living forms such as <a href="/facts/Larva/GKo2FIew">larvae</a>, <a href="/facts/Insect/IgDNvnUL">insects</a>, <a href="/facts/Millipede/zqL7dyMl">millipedes</a>, <a href="/facts/Centipede/y09azluh">centipedes</a>, <a href="/facts/Shipworm/gzPBKu9w">shipworms</a> (teredo worms), or even some vertebrates (creatures with a backbone) such as <a href="/facts/Anguis_fragilis/fLrnR2VQ">blindworms</a> and <a href="/facts/Caecilians/Cpuye4Xn">caecilians</a>. Worms include several groups. The three main phyla are: </p> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Platyhelminthes/lvqbrb2V">Platyhelminthes</a>, includes the <a href="/facts/Flatworm/lvqbrb2V">flatworms</a>, <a href="/facts/Cestoda/DP40WIv2">tapeworms</a>, and <a href="/facts/Trematoda/d3J87oDn">flukes</a>. They have a flat, ribbon- or leaf-shaped body with a pair of eyes at the front. Some are parasites.</li> <li><a href="/facts/Nematode/yLMJ43Eu">Nematoda</a>, contains the <a href="/facts/Pinworm_(parasite)/qlWErWBr">threadworms</a>, <a href="/facts/Hookworm/vSo9fQmh">hookworms</a> and other <a href="/facts/Nematode/yLMJ43Eu">roundworms</a>. Threadworms may be microscopic, such as the vinegar eelworm, or more than 1-metre (3 feet) long. They are found in damp earth, moss, decaying substances, fresh water, or salt water. Some roundworms are also parasites: the <a href="/facts/Guinea_worm/HpK9La8C">Guinea worm</a>, for example, gets under the skin of the feet and legs of people living in <a href="/facts/Tropical/Iv1es8Ih">tropical</a> countries.</li> <li><a href="/facts/Annelid/PQvb7NAM">Annelida</a>, consists of the segmented worms, with bodies divided into segments or rings. Among these worms are the <a href="/facts/Earthworm/V7IUvWgQ">earthworms</a> and the <a href="/facts/Polychaete/Uo2YIINM">bristle worms</a> of the sea.</li></ul> <p>Familiar worms include the <a href="/facts/Earthworm/V7IUvWgQ">earthworms</a>, members of <a href="/facts/Phylum_(biology)/ELT3Jyax">phylum</a> <a href="/facts/Annelida/PQvb7NAM">Annelida</a>. Other invertebrate groups may be called worms, especially colloquially. In particular, many unrelated <a href="/facts/Insect/IgDNvnUL">insect</a> <a href="/facts/Larva/GKo2FIew">larvae</a> are called "worms", such as the <a href="/facts/Railroad_worm/5Pg0MyJw">railroad worm</a>, <a href="/facts/Woodworm/xX3fJmt1">woodworm</a>, <a href="/facts/Glowworm/3M3TIo05">glowworm</a>, <a href="/facts/Midge/Bn1wEUVk">bloodworm</a>, <a href="/facts/Butterworm/FMLJ6kKQ">butterworm</a>, <a href="/facts/Geometer_moth/ces6X6JW">inchworm</a>, <a href="/facts/Mealworm/kvRcH53T">mealworm</a>, <a href="/facts/Silkworm/r4IJIUtk">silkworm</a>, and <a href="/facts/Woolly_worm/Ey5DxxSE">woolly bear worm</a>. </p><p>Worms may also be called <a href="/facts/Helminth/V9wRobaA">helminths</a>, particularly in <a href="/facts/Medical/2fnp90Je">medical</a> terminology when referring to <a href="/facts/Parasitic_worm/V9wRobaA">parasitic worms</a>, especially the <a href="/facts/Nematoda/yLMJ43Eu">Nematoda</a> (roundworms) and <a href="/facts/Cestoda/DP40WIv2">Cestoda</a> (tapeworms). Hence, "<a href="/facts/Helminthology/0LUzbCTf">helminthology</a>" is the study of parasitic worms. When a human or an animal, such as a <a href="/facts/Dog/DvQVRVzy">dog</a> or horse, is said to "have worms", it means that it is infested with <a href="/facts/Parasitic_worm/V9wRobaA">parasitic worms</a>, typically <a href="/facts/Nematode/yLMJ43Eu">roundworms</a> or <a href="/facts/Tapeworm/XQpcfzUx">tapeworms</a>. <a href="/facts/Deworming/jcfgEKQD">Deworming</a> is a method to kill off the worms that have infected a human or animal by giving <a href="/facts/Anthelmintic/2p02KN0X">anthelmintic</a> drugs. </p><p>"<a href="/facts/Ringworm/hFyb8T6n">Ringworm</a>" is not a worm at all, but a skin fungus. </p><p><a href="/facts/Lobopodia/6s3N82pP">Lobopodians</a> are an informal grouping of extinct <a href="/facts/Panarthropoda/hMmch1Nz">panarthropods</a> from the <a href="/facts/Cambrian/jIfzKtod">Cambrian</a> to the <a href="/facts/Carboniferous/BRKlkYyd">Carboniferous</a> that are often called worms or "worm-like animals" despite having had legs in the form of stubby lobopods. Likewise, the extant <a href="/facts/Onychophora/CVn4wdwx">Onychophora</a> are sometimes called <i>velvet worms</i> despite possessing stubby legs. </p> <h2 id="society-and-culture">Society and culture</h2> <p class="note">See also: <a href="/facts/List_of_fictional_worms/Vw6Ew6Ug">List of fictional worms</a> and <a href="/facts/Fictional_depictions_of_worms/QNexcfDW">Fictional depictions of worms</a></p> <p><i>Wyrm</i> was the <a href="/facts/Old_English/9rsmQG2a">Old English</a> term for <a href="/facts/Snake/YhA2gcn0">carnivorous reptiles</a> ("serpents") and mythical <a href="/facts/European_dragon/C0eDJujn">dragons</a>. "Worm" has also been used as <a href="/facts/Animal_epithet/6PKXe13F">a pejorative epithet</a> to describe a cowardly, weak or pitiable person. </p><p>Worms can also be farmed for the production of nutrient-rich <a href="/facts/Vermicompost/xSmNDnQY">vermicompost</a>. </p> <h2 id="see-also">See also</h2> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Helminthology/0LUzbCTf">Helminthology</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Nematology/mI7B3WFL">Nematology</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Sea_worm/u7JmDEe8">Sea worm</a>, lists various types of marine worms</li> <li><a href="/facts/Worm_cast/ooNJSYds">Worm cast</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Worm_charming/TzPc4nKt">Worm charming</a></li> <li>Vermeology</li></ul> <h2 id="explanatory-notes">Explanatory notes</h2> <h2 id="references">References</h2> <ol> <li id="fn:1"><p>"Cornwall – Nature – Superstar Worm". BBC. 7 April 2009. <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/cornwall/content/articles/2009/04/07/nature_worm_feature.shtml" target="_blank">https://www.bbc.co.uk/cornwall/content/articles/2009/04/07/nature_worm_feature.shtml</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:2"><p>"Worm Digest - The Mighty Worm". 2 October 2005. Archived from the original on 19 February 2009.; <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20090219141951/http://www.wormdigest.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=102&Itemid=2" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20090219141951/http://www.wormdigest.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=102&Itemid=2</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:3"><p>Carwardine, Mark (1995). The Guinness book of animal records. Enfield: Guinness Publishing. p. 232. ISBN 978-0851126586. <a href="978-0851126586" target="_blank">978-0851126586</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:4"><p>Linnaeus, Carl (1758). Systema naturae per regna tria naturae: secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis (in Latin) (10th ed.). Holmiae (Laurentii Salvii). Archived from the original on 10 October 2008. Retrieved 22 September 2008. <a href="/wiki/Carl_Linnaeus" target="_blank">/wiki/Carl_Linnaeus</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:5"><p>The prefix une espèce de is pejorative.[5] <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:6"><p>Gould, Stephen Jay (2011). The Lying Stones of Marrakech. Harvard University Press. pp. 130–134. ISBN 978-0-674-06167-5. <a href="978-0-674-06167-5" target="_blank">978-0-674-06167-5</a> <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:7"><p>Brown, Federico D.; Prendergast, Andrew; Swalla, Billie J. (2008). "Man is but a worm: Chordate origins". Genesis. 46 (11): 605–613. doi:10.1002/dvg.20471. PMID 19003926. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002%2Fdvg.20471" target="_blank">https://doi.org/10.1002%2Fdvg.20471</a> <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:8"><p>Franklin-Brown, Mary (2012). Reading the world: encyclopedic writing in the scholastic age. Chicago London: The University of Chicago Press. p. 223;377. ISBN 9780226260709. <a href="9780226260709" target="_blank">9780226260709</a> <a href="#fnref:8" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> </ol>