beard worm; pogonophoran
A rare zoological term for any worm of the phylum Pogonophora, deep-sea tube worms with beard-like tentacles. Usually written in katakana as ヒゲムシ.
See also: 有鬚動物
Beard worms live near deep-sea hydrothermal vents.
This field guide contains detailed information on the ecology of beard worms.
Katakana spelling is common for this organism name; usually written in kana.
Kanji spelling is rare and may not be widely recognized; not commonly used.
From 鬚 (ひげ, 'beard') + 虫 (むし, 'worm, insect'), referring to the beard-like tentacles of these worms. The exact historical derivation is uncertain; the spelling is conventionally associated with the meaning.