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glochidium

(glō kid′ē əm)

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

Origin: ModL < Gr glōchis, point (see gloss) + ModL -idium, dim. suffix < Gr -idion

Related Forms:

glochidiate adjective

See glochidium in American Heritage Dictionary 4

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.

Origin:

Origin: New Latin glōchidium

Origin: : Greek glōkhīs, barb of an arrow

Origin: + Latin -idium, diminutive suff. (from Greek -idion)

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Related Forms:

glo·chidˈi·ate (-ĭt, -ātˌ) adjective

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