Odontobius ceti

  

Contents

  

Rev: 11/19/2024

  Classification Biology and Ecology
Morphology and Anatomy Life Cycle
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Distribution Management
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Classification:

Chromadorea
  Chromadoria
   Monhysterida
Monhysterina
Monhysteroidea
                 Monhysteridae
Diplolaimellinae
       Odontobius ceti Roussel de Vauzeme, 1834

Type species of the genus.

    Synonyms:

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Morphology and Anatomy:

Per Lorenzen, 1986: Because of the circular amphids, the smooth cuticle, the single, forwardly-directed gonad in both sexes and the constant position of the gonad to the right of the intestine, there is no doubt that O. ceti belongs to the family Monhysteridae sensu stricto (see Lorenzen 1977, 1981) and not to the family Oncholaimidae, as suggested by Baylis (1923).

 

Females:

  • Monodelphic, single outstretched, forwardly-directed ovary.
  • Posterior pf vulval wall strongly cuticularized and continuous with a small, transversely striated field.
  • Mature females maximum diamteer  in the vulvar and pre-vulvar region.; post-vulvar body is significantly tnarrower than the pre-vulvar part.

Ref: Lorenzen, 1986

  
   


Males:  

 

  • Monorchic, forwardly-directed testis.
  • Vas deferens with three supplementary glands; the two posterior uninucleate, the anterior with several nuclei.
  • Spicules, two similar, strongly cuticularized and a paired gubernaculum (apophysis and lateral piece also paired).
  • Single pre-anal papilla and six pairs of post-anal, rounded papillae;
  • Maximum diameter in the anal region.

 


Reported median body size for this species (Length mm; width micrometers; weight micrograms) - Click:

 
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Distribution:

Described from the baleen plates of whales

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Economic Importance:

 

 

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Feeding:

Epibiotic commensals on the baleen plates of whales. The nematode was most abundant when colonies of the ciliate Pirolina ceti were abundant on the baleen plates suggesting the possibility that tubes formed by the ciliate provide a suitasble habitat for the nematode, and possibly a food source although gut contents of the nematode could not be idetified (Lorenzen, 1986)

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Biology and Ecology:

 

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Life Cycle:

Probably sexually reproducing.

Transmission between whales may be mechanical; when feeding, whales collect food organisms in their mouths and squeeze the surplus water through the baleen plates. The resulting water currents may contain specimens of O. cetiwhich may directly or indirectly consumed by other whales.

Ecophysiological Parameters:

For Ecophysiological Parameters for this species, click If species level data are not available, click for genus level parameters
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Ecosystem Functions and Services:

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Management:

 
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References:

Baylis, H.A. 1923. On Odonrohius ceti Roussel de Vauzeme, a nematode living on thc baleen of whales.-Ann. Mag. Nay. Hist. Ser. 9 617-623

Lorenzen. S. 1977. The system of the Monhysteroidea (Nematodes)-An ew approach.-Zool. Jh. Abt. Syst. 10.5: 515-536.

Lorenzen, S. 1981. Entwurf eincs phylogenetischcn Systems derfreilebendcn Nematoden.-Veroff Inst. Meeresforsch. Bremerh.Suppl. 7: 1-472.

Lorenzen, S. 1986. Odontobius (Nematoda, Monhysteridae) from the baleen plates of whales and its relationship to Gammarinema living on crustaceans Zoologica Scripta 15:101-106.

Roussel de Vauzeme D.M. 1834. Note sur l'Odontobius ceti de l'ordre des vers intestinaux cavitaires. Annales des Sciences Naturelles 1:326-331.

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