Polygastrophora		Contents		Rev 08/28/2026
		Classification		Hosts
		Morphology and Anatomy		Life Cycle
Return to Polygastrophora Menu		Economic Importance		Damage
		Distribution		Management
Return to Enchelidiidae Menu		Feeding		References
		Go to Nemaplex Main Menu		Go to Dictionary of Terminology

Classification:

Enoplea

     Enoplia

        Enoplida

Oncholaimina

              Oncholaimoidea

                    Enchelidiidae

Polygastrophora de Man, 1922

Type species of the genus: Polygastrophora attenuata de Man, 1922

Synonyms:
    

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Morphology and Anatomy:

• Ocelli present.
• Amphids dorsally spiral.
• Buccal cavity divided into several chambers by cuticularized rings, one chamber with three teeth.
• Posterior section of pharynx with series of bulb-like muscular swellings. 
• Mainly marine, one freshwater species.

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Distribution:

A genus of free-living marine nematodes reported from subtidal muddy sediment; one freshwater species reported

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Economic Importance:

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Feeding:

Food Sources and Feeding strategies for the genus Polygastrophora

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Life Cycle:

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Damage:

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Management:

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References:

Huang, Y. and Guo, Y. 2022. Free-living Marine Nematodes from the East China Sea, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-3836-7_10

Smol, N., Muthumbi, A., Sharma, J. 2014. Order Enoplida, 7.3. In Schmidt-Rhaesa, A. (ed) Handbook of Zoology. De Gruyter, Berlin

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Revised by Howard Ferris: August 28, 2026.