Pellioditis		Contents		Rev 06/28/2023
		Classification		Biology and Ecology
		Morphology and Anatomy		Life Cycle
Return to Pellioditis Menu				Ecosystem Functions and Services
		Distribution		Management
Return to Rhabditidae Menu		Feeding		References
		Go to Nemaplex Main Menu		Go to Dictionary of Terminology

Classification:

Chromadorea

  Rhabditia

    Rhabditida

      Rhabditoidea

        Rhabditidae

  Synonyms:

Rhabditis (Pellioditis)

Pelodera papillosa Schneider, 1866

Phasmarhabditis Andrassy, 1976

Pellioditis  is often described as one of the 15 subgenera within the genus Rhabditis Dujardin (1845). The subgenus comprises 18 species (Andrassy, 1983; Sudhaus & Nimrich, 1989; Gagarin, 2001), only four of which inhabit the marine environment with Rhabditis (Pellioditis) marina Bastian, 1865  reported most frequently (Inglis & Coles, 1961; Sudhaus & Nimrich, 1989).

The large intraspecific variability within R. (P.) marina is reflected in the description of a number of varieties, all but one of them later having been considered as synonyms of R. (P.) marina (Inglis & Coles, 1961). A recent study based on mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequences revealed at least four cryptic species within R. (P.) marina, all of which were sympatrically distributed on a fairly small geographical scale (100 km) (Derycke et al., 2005) and were morphologically distinguishable (Fonseca et al., in press).

In addition, a temporal survey in which more than 1600 individuals were analysed led to the discovery of specimens with highly divergent DNA sequences (referred to as the Z lineages), of which the taxonomic position and phylogenetic relationships with the other lineages remained unclear (Derycke et al., 2006). 

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Morphology and Anatomy:

• Large esophageal collar around lower half of stoma.
• Three to five "warts on each metarhabdion.
• Vulva close to mid-body
• Bursa peloderan and open with nine papillae
• Spicules separate, not fused

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Distribution:

Many of the species described from snails and slugs.

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Feeding:

  Bacterial feeders.  (Yeates et al., 1993).

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Biology and Ecology:

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Life Cycle:

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Ecosystem Functions and Services:

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Management:

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References:

Andrassy, I. 2005. Free-living Nematodes of Hungary, I (Nematoda errantia). Pedozoologica Hungarica 3. Hungarian Natural History Museum, Budapest, Hungary. 518p.

Bongers, T. 1988. De Nematoden van Nederland, Pirola, Schoorl. Utrecht. 408p.

Derycke, S., G. Fonseca,  A.. Vierstaete, J. Vanfleteren, M. VIincx and T. Moens. 2008. Disentangling taxonomy within the Rhabditis (Pellioditis) marina (Nematoda, Rhabditidae) species complex using molecular and morhological tools. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2008, 152, 1�15.

Sudhaus, W. and D. Fitch. 2001. Comparative Studies on the Phylogeny and Systematics of the Rhabditidae (Nematoda). J. Nematology 33:1-70.

Yeates, G.W., T. Bongers, R. G. M. De Goede, D. W. Freckman, and S. S. Georgieva. 1993. Feeding habits in soil nematode families and genera—An outline for soil ecologists. Journal of Nematology 25:315-331

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Copyright © 1999 by Howard Ferris.
Revised: June 28, 2023.

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