Peer-Reviewed Journal Details
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O'Grady, A; Breen, J
2011
January
Journal Of Natural History
Observations on mermithid parasitism (Nematoda: Mermithidae) in two species of Lasius ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)
Published
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Optional Fields
Formicidae Lasius Mermithid FIRE ANT ARGENTINA
45
2339
2345
The morphological effects of nematode parasitism by Pheromermis myrmecophila were investigated in two species of ants, Lasius flavus and Lasius niger, collected on Clare Island, Ireland. Infected males and queens were found for L. flavus but only infected queens in L. niger. The numbers of nematodes present in each infected specimen were counted and their lengths were measured. Head width, femur length and wing measurements were made for infected and non-infected individuals of both species. In queens, the length of the nematodes decreased as the number per ant increased. When single nematodes were present their mean lengths were significantly greater in L. flavus than in L. niger. In addition to the reduction in wing size for all parasitized specimens, head widths and femur lengths of the queens were significantly different in both species. A log-log graph of radial cell length versus width suggested a linear reduction of wing size.
10.1080/00222933.2011.596634
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