A mermithergate is an

ant Ants are Eusociality, eusocial insects of the Family (biology), family Formicidae and, along with the related wasps and bees, belong to the Taxonomy (biology), order Hymenoptera. Ants evolved from Vespoidea, vespoid wasp ancestors in the Cre ...

worker that has a changed appearance as a result of an Enoplia nematode

infection An infection is the invasion of tissue (biology), tissues by pathogens, their multiplication, and the reaction of host (biology), host tissues to the infectious agent and the toxins they produce. An infectious disease, also known as a transmis ...

Etymology

The word was coined by William M. Wheeler in 1910. It is a combination of the

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 ...

genus '' Mermis'', for which Wheeler first described the phenomenon, and ergate, which means ant worker. Infected females (queens) are called mermithogynes.

Infection cycle

Up to 5% of some populations of ''

Cephalotes atratus ''Cephalotes'' is a genus (biology), genus of arboreal, tree-dwelling ant species from the Americas, commonly known as turtle ants. All appear to be gliding ants, with the ability to "parachute" and steer their fall so as to land back on the tre ...

'' suffer from an

by the tetradonematid nematode ''

Myrmeconema neotropicum ''Myrmeconema neotropicum'' is a tetradonematid nematode parasite. It appears to induce fruit mimicry in the tropical ant. Presently the only known host species is ''Cephalotes atratus'', a South American ant with a black abdomen. Upon infection ...

''. It causes the ant's

abdomen The abdomen (colloquially called the gut, belly, tummy, midriff, tucky, or stomach) is the front part of the torso between the thorax (chest) and pelvis in humans and in other vertebrates. The area occupied by the abdomen is called the abdominal ...

to turn from black to bright red, strikingly resembling a red berry. In addition, the ant then holds it up most of the time, and it is easily ripped off. Birds easily mistake these for real fruit and pick them, while they avoid eating normal ants. The nematodes pass through the bird's digestive system as eggs without harming it. The circle closes when ''C. atratus'' workers feed on the bird droppings, thus getting infected.University of California
Ant parasite turns host into ripe red berry, biologists discover
— Retrieved on 2008-01-20.

References

{{reflist

External links

* Dale Ward

Parasitism Ants Enoplia

Etymology

Infection cycle

See also

References

Further reading

External links