Member of the
Strepsiptera family
Mengenillinidae exclusively parasitise members of Lepismatidae. Host-species relationships include:
Eoxenos laboulbenei on
Tricholepisma aureum,
Neoasterolepisma wasmanni and
N. palmonii;
Mengenilla parvula on
Sceletolepisma michaelseni;
Mengenilla nigritula on
Ctenolepisma ciliatum and
Ctenolepisma sp.;
Mengenilla laevigata,
M. quasita,
M. spinulosa and
M. subnigrescens on
C. lineatum; and an unidentified species of Strepsiptera on
Mormisma peyerimhoffi. Parasitic
Apicomplexa are often found in the intestinal tract, especially the crop, of Lepismatidae.
Ctenolepisma lineatum contains on average 15 parasite specimens per animal. Several species of
gregarine parasites have been recorded from the intestinal tract of the gray silverfish: ==References==