title: Recent and fossil nematode parasites (Nematoda: Mermithidae) of neotropical ants.
abstract: The following new recent species of mermithid (Nematoda) parasites of Neotropical ants are described: Meximermis ectatommi n.gen., n. sp. from workers of Ectatomma ruidum Roger in Southern Mexico, Agamomermis cephaloti n. sp. from a worker of Cephalotes minutus (Fab.) collected in Brazil, Agamomermis ecitoni n. sp. from a worker of Eciton burchellii Westwood collected in Venezuela and Agamomermis costaricensis n. sp. from a worker of Odontomachus hastatus (Fab.) collected in Costa Rica. In addition, a fossil mermithid parasite of a worker of Linepithema sp. from Dominican amber is described as Heydenius myrmecophila n. sp. These parasites represent the first descriptions of Neotropical ant mermithids and together with previous records listed here, show that ant infection by mermithids in the Neotropics is widespread and has occurred for at least 20-30 million years.
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA. poinarg@science.oregonstate.edu
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Poinar
authors.forename: Jean-Paul
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Lachaud
authors.forename: Alfredo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Castillo
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Infante
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001000:Ants / Q000469:parasitology*; D005260:Female; D005580:Fossils; D008018:Life Cycle Stages; D008632:Mermithoidea / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D014329:Tropical Climate