glochidium
noun pl. glochidia
- Bot. a barbed hair or bristle, as on certain cactuses or on the spore masses of ferns
- Zool. the parasitic larval stage of freshwater mussels (family Unionidae) which infests the gills, etc. of many fishes
See glochidium in American Heritage Dictionary 4
(glō-kĭdˈē-əm)
noun pl. glo·chid·i·a (-ē-ə) - Zoology The parasitic larva of certain freshwater mussels of the family Unionidae, having hooks for attaching to the gills or other external parts of a host fish.
- Botany Variant of glochid.
Related Forms:
- glo·chidˈi·ate (-ĭt, -ātˌ) adjective
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