Family Mermithidae

Revised 10/23/24

Nematoda
Enoplea
            Dorylaimia
             Mermithida
Mermithina
                       Mermithoidea
Mermithidae Braun, 1883

Biology:

Density-dependent sex determination of the parasitic nematodes is a general feature of mermithid life history.  Parasitism of the host by multiple nematode individuals (termed superparasitism) reults in a higher proportion of the infective juveniles developing into males and, consequently, proportionally fewer females .  Additionally, superparasitism reduces availability of host resources per parasite and the proprtionally fewer and smaller nematode females may be less fecund (Blackmore and Charnov, 1989; Christie, 1929; Mullens and Luhring, 2023; Petersen, 1972; Sanad et al., 2013).
                
         

References

Blackmore, M. S. and Charnov, E. L. 1989. Adaptive variation in environmental sex determination in a nematode. American Naturalist 134:817-823. Christie, J. R. 1929. Some observations on sex in the Mermithidae. Journal of Experimental Zoology 53:59-76.

Christie, J.R. 1929. Some observations on sex in the Mermithidae. Journal of Experimental Zoology 53:59-76

Gradinarov, D. 2014. The mermithid species Isomermis lairdi (Nematoda, Mermithidae), previously only known in Africa, found in Europe. Zookeys 454:1-11.

Mullens, B.A. and Luhring, K.A. 2023. Parasite load effects on sex ratio, size, survival and mating fitness of Heleidomermis magnapapula in Culicoides sonorensis. J. Nematology 55: e2023-1 r | DOI: 10.2478/jofnem-2023-0052

Nickle WR. 1972. A contribution to our knowledge of the Mermithidae (Nematoda). Journal of Nematology 4: 113-146. 

Petersen, J. J. 1972. Factors affecting the sex ratio of mermithid parasites of mosquitoes. Journal of Nematology 4:83-87.

Petersen, J.J. 1985. Nematodes as biological control agents: Part 1. Mermithidae. Advances in Parasitology 24:307-346.

Platzer, E.G. 2007. Mermithid nematodes. Journal of the American Mosquito Control Association Bulletin 7:58-64

Sanad, M., Shamseldin, M. M., Elgindi, A. Y. and Gaugler, R. 2013. Host penetration and emergence patterns of the mosquito-parasitic mermithids Romanomermis iyengari and Strelkovimermis spiculatus (Nematoda: Mermithidae). Journal of Nematology 45:30-37

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