MERMITHID NEMATODE PARASITISM OF SOLENOPSIS ANTS (HYMENOPTERA, FORMICIDAE) OF NORTHERN FLORIDA

Sexuals collected from nests of the fire ant, Solenopsis geminata (F.) , the red imported fire ant, S. invicta Buren, and S. pergandei Forel in the Apalachicola National Forest were parasitized occasionally by a large mermithid nematode. Summer infection rates (1991-1893) varied b y species and sex: 0% for S. invicta gynes, between 1 and 7% for S. pe rgandei gynes and males of all 3 species, and 16% for S. geminata gyne s. The seasonality of infection coincided with the summer reproductive period of S. geminata and suggests the mermithid has an annual life c ycle. The parasites, up to 15.5 cm in length, distend the abdomen of t he host, but have little anatomical effect other than detracting from seu organ development. Mermithisized ants do not participate in mating flights and die when the parasites emerge. The mermithids emerge as s exually immature larvae, precluding their identification or taxonomic description. A mermithid this large has not been reported previously i n Solenopsis. Currently, there is no record of mermithid parasitism in S. invicta and S. pergandei nor have mermithisized sexuals been repor ted in the genus.