physogastry

English

Winged termite queen (Macrotermes mossambicus?) before she has shed her wings, mated, started her colony, and undergone physogastry

Termite queen of a similar species after she has established a colony, matured, and undergone physogastry. Beside her is her male, with borderline physogastry, and a worker with none.

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.

Related terms

• physogastric
• physogastrism