pholas means any of several borrowing marine bivalve molluscs of the genus Pholas. Lexicurio rates it Sui generis — a strength score of 86 out of 100.
Etymology
From the genus name.
noun
- Any of several borrowing marine bivalve molluscs of the genus Pholas.“[M]any of the pillars of the temple of Serapis at Puteoli vvere penetrated by theſe animals. […] [T]he pholas muſt have pierced into them ſince they vvere erected; for no vvorkmen vvould have laboured a pillar into form, if it had been honey-combed by vvorms in the quarry.”