Necromeny Explained

Necromeny is a symbiotic relationship where an animal (typically a juvenile stage nematode) infects a host and waits inside its body until its death, at which point it develops and completes its life-cycle on the cadaver, feeding on the decaying matter and the subsequent bacterial growth.^[1] As the necromenic animal benefits from the relationship while the host is unharmed, it is an example of commensalism.^[2]

An example of this is the facultative parasitic nematode species, Phasmarhabditis hermaphrodita.^[3] It can kill certain types of slugs and snails (Arionidae, Milacidae and Limacidae), but for more resistant species, it lies dormant until the host dies naturally. Conversely, entomopathogenic nematodes (or EPNs) such as Steinernema and Heterorhabditis also thrive on the decaying corpses of their hosts, but they seek out to actively kill their hosts through the release of a symbiotic bacterium (Xenorhabdus/Photorhabdus and Paenibacillus, respectively).^{[4] [5] [6]}

Necromeny has also been observed in mites, including species of Histiostoma^[7] and Sancassania.^[8]

References

1. Sudhaus WA . Preadaptive plateau in Rhabditida (Nematoda) allowed the repeated evolution of zooparasites, with an outlook on evolution of life cycles within Spiroascarida. . Palaeodiversity . 2010 . 3 . Suppl . 117–130 .
2. Web site: Glossary N . 2023-01-19 . www.wormatlas.org.
3. Genena MA, Mostafa FA, Fouly AH, Yousef AA . First record for the slug parasitic nematode, Phasmarhabditis hermaphrodita (Schneider) in Egypt. . Archives of Phytopathology and Plant Protection . February 2011 . 44 . 4 . 340–345 . 10.1080/03235400903057662 . 84382069 .
4. Book: Poinar Jr GO . Taxonomy and biology of Steinernematidae and Heterorhabditidae.. Gaugler R, Kaya HK . Entomopathogenic Nematodes in Biological Control. . 2018 . CRC Press . Milton . 978-1-351-08864-0 . https://books.google.com/books?id=cLtHDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT45 .
5. Book: Hunt DJ, Nguyen KB . Advances in entomopathogenic nematode taxonomy and phylogeny . 2016 . Brill . Leiden . 978-90-04-28534-7.
6. Book: Subramanian S, Shankarganesh K . Chapter 12 - Entomopathogenic Nematodes . Omkar . Ecofriendly Pest Management for Food Security . Academic Press . 2016 . 20 . 367–410 . 10.1016/B978-0-12-803265-7.00012-9 . 978-0-12-803265-7 .
7. Wirth S . Necromenic life style of Histiostoma polypori (Acari: Histiostomatidae) . Experimental & Applied Acarology . 49 . 4 . 317–327 . December 2009 . 19697142 . 10.1007/s10493-009-9295-6 . 20109475 .
8. Al-Deeb MA, Muzaffar SB, Sharif EM . Interactions between phoretic mites and the Arabian rhinoceros beetle, Oryctes agamemnon arabicus . Journal of Insect Science . 12 . 128 . 2012 . 128 . 23448160 . 3637038 . 10.1673/031.012.12801 .