Aparoid

The Aparoids are a species of insectoid creatures that are part-machine, part-life form. The Aparoids are capable of infecting other life forms and machines and transforming them into more Aparoids—this infection is known as Aparoidedation. Large Aparoids contain a core memory that contains instructions as well as information on contacting the Aparoid Homeworld, located in the farthest reaches of the Lylat System.

The Aparoids are led by the Aparoid Queen, who resides on their home planet. The Queen believes that all things in the universe exist for the Aparoids to infect and that becoming an Aparoid is not infection, but rather a form of evolution. Beltino Toad created a program that took advantage of the fact that Aparoids cells are created using apoptosis which is a chemical used in self-destruct programs. Fox McCloud would eventually come to use this program to destroy the Aparoid Queen. As all Aparoids are networked together in a hive mind, once Fox executed the self-destruct program in the Aparoid Queen all of the Aparoids and their home planet were forever annihilated.

Behind the scenes
The Aparoids seem to draw heavy inspiration from Star Trek's Borg, which assimilate other life forms. The appearance of the Aparoid Queen who serves as the leader also reinforces this.