Scutellonema

 

Contents

  

Rev 01/15/2026

Spiral Nematodes Classification Hosts
Morphology and Anatomy Life Cycle
Return to Scutellonema Menu Economic Importance Damage
Distribution Management
Return to Hoplolaimidae Menu Feeding  References
    Go to Nemaplex Main Menu   Go to Dictionary of Terminology

 Classification:

          Chromadorea
       Rhabditida
       Tylenchina
         Tylenchoidea
          Hoplolaimidae
           Hoplolaiminae

           Scutellonema (Steiner, 1937) Andrassy, 1958

Type species of the genus: Scutellonema bradys (Steiner & LeHew, 1933) Andrassy, 1958

Spiral Nematodes

    Synonyms:
      None.

Back to Top

Morphology and Anatomy:

Nematodes of the genus Scutellonema are characterized by:

.

Female:

  • Body spiral to C-shaped or almost straight.  
  • Labial region narrow truncate to offset rounded; annulated, with or without longitudinal striae.  First labial annule divided into six sectors, lateral sectors smaller than the others (SEM). 
  • Amphid apertures oval between labial disc and lateral sectors.  
  • Lateral field with four lines usually areolated near phasmids (scutella) and anteriorly, sometimes transverse striae scattered over whole field.  
  • Labial framework, stylet, and stylet knobs average-sized for the family; knobs rounded to indented.  
  • Dorsal esophageal gland opening 4 to 8 um from stylet base.  
  • Esophageal gland overlap dorsal and lateral.  
  • Two genital branches outstretched, equally developed.  
  • Epiptygma present.  
  • Tail short, rounded.
  • Phasmids enlarged, 3-4 um in diameter, just pre-anal (opposite or nearly opposite each other). The term "scutellum" refers to Latin "shield" for shape and size of phasmids - hence Scutellonema.

 

 

 

A recent key to the species of Scutellonema is provided by Kolombia et al., 2017; an very useful collation of distinguishing characteristics of Scutellonema spp. is provided by Maosa et al (2025).

Males:

  • Caudal alae enveloping tail tip, regular or, rarely, deeply lobed.  
  • No secondary sexual dimorphism.

    [Ref: Fortuner,  (1987), Sher (1963).]

Examples of scutella in lateral field of Scutellonema clavicaudatum

(Drawings from Van den Berg et al., 2017)
Body size range for the species of this genus in the database - Click:
Back to Top

Distribution:

Species of Scutellonema are widely distributed in tropical and subtropical regions with the greatest number of species recorded from Africa (van den Berg et al., 2017); approximately 60% of described species are from that continent..

Back to Top

Economic Importance:

D-rated pests in California.

 Three species, the yam nematode S. bradys, S. cavenessi, and the Carolina spiral nematode S. brachyurus are reported as agricultural pests.  Other species are parasites of non-agricultural plants or are not known to cause economic damage to crops (Van den Berg et al., 2017).

Back to Top

Feeding:

Food Sources and Feeding strategies for the genus Scutellonema
Back to Top

Hosts:
For an extensive host range list for this genus, click
Back to Top

Life Cycle:

For Ecophysiological Parameters for this genus, click 

Back to Top

Damage:

 

Back to Top

Management:

 

Back to Top

References:

Fortuner, Rev. Nematol. 10(2):219-232 (1987).

Kolombia, Y.A., G. Karssen, N. Viaene, P. L. Kumar, L . Joos, D. L. Coyne and W. Bert. 2017. Morphological and molecular characterisation of Scutellonema species from yam (Dioscorea spp.) and a key to the species of the genus. Nematology 19: 751-787

Maosa, J., Sirengo, D.K., Singh, P.R., Couvreur, M., De Waele, D. and Bert, W. 2025.  Description of African Scutellonema brachyurus Type B populations as Scutellonema afribrachyurus n. sp. (Tylenchida: Hoplolaimidae) based on integrative taxonomy. Nematology 27: 1055-1080.

Sher, S.A. 1963. Revision of the Hoplolaiminae (Nematoda) III. Scutellonema Andrassy, 1958. Nematologica 9:421-443.

Van den Berg, E., Tiedt, L.R., Stanley, J.D., Inserra, R.N., Subbotin, S.A. 2017. Characterisation of some Scutellonema species (Tylenchida: Hoplolaimidae) occurring in Botswana, South Africa, Costa Rica and the USA, with description of S. clavicaudatum sp. n. and a molecular phylogeny of the genus. Nematology 19:131-173.

 

Back to Top
Copyright © 1999 by Howard Ferris.
Revised: January 15, 2026.