Usually characterised by shortened wings, mermithogynes are found in parts of the
Formicidae, being queens affected by parasitic
nematode
The nematodes ( or ; ; ), roundworms or eelworms constitute the phylum Nematoda. Species in the phylum inhabit a broad range of environments. Most species are free-living, feeding on microorganisms, but many are parasitic. Parasitic worms (h ...
worms of the genus ''
Mermis
''Mermis'' is a genus of nematodes belonging to the family Mermithidae.
The genus has almost cosmopolitan distribution.
Species
At least 11 species currently belong to the genus:
* '' Mermis athysanota''
* '' Mermis changodudus''
* '' Mermis ...
''.
See also
*
Mermithergate
A mermithergate is an ant worker that has a changed appearance as a result of an Enoplia nematode infection.
Etymology
The word was coined by William M. Wheeler in 1910. It is a combination of the nematode genus '' Mermis'', for which Wheeler ...
*
Polymorphism (biology)
In biology, polymorphism is the occurrence of two or more clearly different morphs or forms, also referred to as alternative '' phenotypes'', in the population of a species. To be classified as such, morphs must occupy the same habitat at the ...
References
Further reading
* (1910): The effects of parasitic and other kinds of castration in insects. ''Journal of Experimental Zoology'' 8: 377–438
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Myrmecology
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