Sphaerolaimus

  

Contents

  

Rev: 05/22/2025

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

Chromadorea
  Chromadoria
   Monhysterida
Monhysterina
Sphaerolaimoidea
                Sphaerolaimidae
       Sphaerolaimus Bastian, 1865

    Synonyms:
     

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Morphology and Anatomy:

Ref: Annapurna et al., 2012; Rossli et al., 2013

Sphaerolaimus macrocirculus (adapted from Rossliee t al., 2013)

Female: A: head, D: entire body, F:tail.

Male: B: head, C: entire body, E:tail, G: cloacal region

Females:

  • Monodelphic, prodelphic

  
   

 

Males:  

  • Monorchic
  • Spicule proximally dilated, distally slender
  • Gubernaculum present


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

Often found in muddy intertidal zones. Reported from intertidal muddy sand off coast of England.sublitteral sedimensts, Scotland and at depths of 250-1000m off northeast coast of India.

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Feeding:

Food Sources and Feeding strategies for the genus Sphaerolaimus

Categorized as predators by Yeates et al. (1993). Many species known to feed on other nematodes.

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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. 2009. Free-living Nematodes of Hungary III.  Hungarian Natural History Museum, Budapest. 608p.

Annapurna, C., Vijaya Bhanu, C., Srinivasa Rao, M., Sivalakshmi, M.V., Lilly M. .Cooper, G., Rao, Y.K. 2012. Free-living nematodes along the continental slope off northeast coast of India. J. Mar. Biol. Ass. India, 54:52-60.

Platt, H. M. and R. M. Warwick. 1988. Free-living marine nematodes. Part II: British Chromadorids. Synopses of the British Fauna (New Series) NO. 38, Brill, E.J., Leiden, 501pp

Rossli, N.M., Long, S.M., Chen, C-A. 2013. A New Record From East Malaysia: Sphaerolaimus macrocirculus (Nematoda) Borneo J. Resour. Sci. Tech.2(2):12-18

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: May 22, 2025.