physogastricadj.
/ˌfʌɪsəʊˈɡastrɪk/, U.S. /ˌfaɪsoʊˈɡæstrɪk/ Entomology.
Exhibiting physogastry.
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the world > animals > invertebrates > phylum Arthropoda > class Insecta > parts of insects > [adjective] > of abdomen > having physogastry
physogastric1911
1911 Science 7 Apr. 532/1 Escherich discusses..the habits of a few guests or termitophiles, especially the carabid beetle Orthogonius acutangulus, the swollen or ‘physogastric’ larvæ of which feed on the termites.
1923 W. M. Wheeler in Sci. Monthly Mar. 325 Probably this is also the case with other physogastric termitophiles.
1971 R. R. Askew Parasitic Insects v. 73 The abdomen [of Ascodipteron] becomes bloated (physogastric) as the fly takes in blood from the host.
1994 P. J. Gullan & P. S. Cranston Insects xi. 317/1 In the curious case of Termitoxenia.., the physogastric females from termite nests were the only stage known for so long that published speculation was rife that neither larvae nor males existed.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2006; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.1911