physogastry

English

Etymology

From physo- + Ancient Greek γαστήρ (gastḗr, “belly”) + -y.

Noun

physogastry (uncountable)

  1. (entomology) An enlargement of the abdomen in certain insects, especially in termite queens.
    • 2000, Arthur V. Evans, An Inordinate Fondness for Beetles, page 64:
      One of the most bizarre modifications of the beetle abdomen is known as physogastry. Physogastry is a condition in which the abdomen is enlarged. usually through increased growth of the connective membranes, expansion of the internal fat bodies, and subsequent secondary sclerotization of the abdominal sclerites.
    • 2014, Y. Abe, Termites: Evolution, Sociality, Symbioses, Ecology, page 337:
      The development of queen physogastry is considered to mark the end of the founding stage. It is often difficult to determine the time required for a queen to become physogastric in termite colonies.
    • 2015, William Morton Wheeler, The Social Insects: Their Origin and Evolution, page 266:
      The most striking characteristic of many termitophiles is physogastry, or the excessive enlargement of the abdomen, which closely resembles that of the hosts and especially that of the old queens.
This article is issued from Wiktionary. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.