Daptonema

  

Contents

  

Rev: 08/04/2025

  Classification Biology and Ecology
Morphology and Anatomy Life Cycle
Return to Daptonema Menu Ecosystem Functions and Services
Distribution Management
Return to Xyalidae Menu Feeding  References
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Classification:

Chromadorea
  Chromadoria
   Monhysterida
Monhysterina
Sphaerolaimoidea
                 Xyalidae
       Daptonema Cobb, 1920
Type species of the genus: Daptonema fissidens (Cobb, 1920) Lornzen, 1977

    Synonyms:
     

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Morphology and Anatomy:

With general characteristics of family Xyalidae, and:

 
  • Relatively large, 1.2-2mm with large body.
  • Cuticle finely striated, with thin setae
  • Head slightly offset with 12 cephalic setae
  • Amphids circular
  • No ocelli
  • Buccal cavity very narrow, conical, unarmed, walls not sclerotized;
  • Cephalic setae 10-14 in 6 groups; somatic setae not much longer than 1 c.b.d
  • Esophagus more or less cylindrical

    Females:
  • Monodelphic, Vulva about 75%

  
   

Males:  

  • Diorchic
  • Spicules rather short, appearing rectangular
  • Gubernaculum present, with caudal extension.
  • Tail conico-cylindrical with a pair of setae

Ref: Andrassy, 1981; Huang and Guo, 2022

Body size range for the species of this genus in the database - Click:
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Distribution:

Marine and estuarine environments. Considered the most diverse and abundant genus of the family Xyalidae.  Nematodes of the genus Daptonema are an important component  of estuarine faunal analysis to determine levels of contamination and environmental quality.

Only a few species are freshwater inhabitants.

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Feeding:

Food Sources and Feeding strategies for the genus Daptonema

Predaceous nematodes - diatoms and other small marine organisms.

Daptonema setorum in estuarine environments feeding mainly on diatoms but also on bacteria, protozoa, algae and detritys (Moens and Vincx, 1997).

Non-selective deposit feeders, actually bacteria feeders (Heip et al., 1988)

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Biology and Ecology:

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Life Cycle:

For Ecophysiological Parameters for this genus, click 
 
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Ecosystem Functions and Services:

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Management:

 
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References:

Andrassy, I. 1981. Revision of the order Monhysterida (Nematoda) inhabiting soil and inland waters. Opusc. Zool. Budapest XVII-XVIII:13-47.

Cobb, N.A. 1920 One hundred new nemas (Type species of 100 new genera). Contrib Sci Nematol 9:217-243.

Heip, C., Vincx, M., Vranken, G. 1985. The ecology of marine nematodes. Oceanography and marine biology. Ann Rev Lond 23:399-489

Huang, Y., Guo, Y. 2022. Order Monhysterida Filipjev, 1929. In: Free-living Marine Nematodes from the East China Sea. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-3836-7_9

Moens, Y. and Vincx, M. 1997. Observations on the feeding ecology of estuarine nematodes. Journal of the Marine Biology Assoc. U.K. 77:211-227.

Schratzbberger, M., Warwick, R.M. 1999. Differential effects of various types of disturbances on the structure of nematode assemblages: an experimental approach. Marine Ecology Progress Series 181:227-236

Tchesunov, A.V. 2015. Free-living nematode species (Nematoda) in hydrothermal sites of the North Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Helgoland Marine Research 69:343-384

Venekey, V., Gheller, P.F., Maria , T.F., Brustolin, M.C., Kandratavicius , N., Vieira , D.C., Brito, S., Souza, G.S., Fonseca, G. The state of the art of Xyalidae (Nematoda, Monhysterida) with reference to the Brazilian records. Marine Biodiversity DOI 10.1007/s12526-014-0226-3

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

 
Copyright 1999 by Howard Ferris.
Revised: August 04, 2025.