Dracunculidae

9.9

A family of parasitic worms that infect people and other mammals, for example the Guinea worm

noun
/ˌdrækʌŋˈkjuːlɪdiː/

Specialized

: Dracunculidae

Guinea worm disease is caused by a species within the Dracunculidae family.

Examples

Scientists studied the life cycle of Dracunculidae to understand how these parasites infect their hosts.
The Dracunculidae family includes the infamous Guinea worm.
Members of the Dracunculidae family are known for causing dracunculiasis in humans.
Many species of Dracunculidae can infect various mammals.
Guinea worm disease is caused by a species within the Dracunculidae family.
Members of the Dracunculidae family are known for causing dracunculiasis in humans.
The Dracunculidae family includes the infamous Guinea worm.

Surface Forms

Dracunculidae singular

Dracunculidaes plural

Morphology

Dracunculidae = Dracunculus (opaque) = Dracuncul + idae

Formation uses the specialized zoological family suffix '-idae' attached to a genus stem (including truncation of the Latin nominative ending), which is technical and not transparent to an average B1 learner.

Etymology

Dracunculidae comes from the Latin dracunculus meaning 'little dragon', from draco 'dragon', and the ending -idae meaning 'family' in scientific names. People called these long parasitic worms 'little dragons' because a Guinea worm looks like a thin, twisting dragon when it comes out of the skin, so Dracunculidae is the family name for these worms.