Mermithid Nematode
Mermis nigrescens
Mermis nigrescens is a long, threadlike nematode associated with damp soil, grass, and low vegetation, especially after rain. Its juvenile phase develops as a parasite inside insects such as grasshoppers and related hosts, while the free-living adult is mainly concerned with mating and egg-laying rather than feeding. Females may climb plants and appear dark or black when packed with eggs, releasing them where future insect hosts may encounter them. A notable fact is that the worm often exits its insect host when mature, a dramatic event that usually kills the host.
- Type
- Burrow
- Conservation status
- NE
Growth chain
- ?
- ?
- ?
- Mermithid Nematode