noun
- A group of marine worms (phylum Nemertea) characterized by a long, muscular, retractable proboscis used for capturing prey.
Usage: plural form; zoology; also called ribbon worms or proboscis worms
Examples
- Nemertines are found in marine environments around the world.
- The nemertines use their proboscis to hunt small crustaceans and other invertebrates.
- Scientists study nemertines to understand the evolution of nervous systems in invertebrates.
- Most nemertines are less than one meter long, though some species can exceed ten meters.
- The phylum Nemertea includes thousands of species of nemertines adapted to various ocean habitats.