Cynipid

/ˈsɪnɪpɪd/ noun

Definition

A member of the family Cynipidae, a group of small parasitic wasps that lay eggs in plants, causing galls (unusual growths) to form.

Etymology

From Greek 'kynips' (a type of gall-making insect, literally 'dog-wasp') plus the suffix '-id', formalized in Linnaean taxonomy in the 18th century.

Kelly Says

Gall wasps are nature's tiny architects—the larvae literally manipulate plant DNA to grow custom houses around themselves, reshaping the plant's entire growth pattern from inside.

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