Diplopeltula

  

Contents

  

Rev: 02/02/2023

  Classification Biology and Ecology
Morphology and Anatomy Life Cycle
Return to Diplopeltula Menu   Ecosystem Functions and Services
Distribution Management
Return to Diplopeltidae Menu Feeding  References
    Go to Nemaplex Main Menu   Go to Dictionary of Terminology

Classification:

Chromadorea
  Chromadoria
       Araeolaimida
Araeolaimoidea
Diplopeltidae
        Diplopeltula Gerlach, 1950

Type species of the genus: Diplopeltula breviceps Gerlach, 1950

    Synonyms:
     

Back to Top

Morphology and Anatomy:

Species of the genus Diplopeltula are quite different from each other so that it is rather difficult to establish a concise generic diagnosis: a combination of many different characters occurs in several species (Vincx and Gourbault, 1992).

Females:

  • Generally similar to male
  • Didelpic-amphidelphic; ovaries short; reflexed
  • Vagina heavily sclerotized

Ref: Vincx and Gourbault, 1992
Diplopeltula pulchra. A: Male; B: Female; C: Male head; D: Female paryngeal region; E: Femal tail region; F: Male tail region.
From Vincx and Gourbault, 1992

Males:   (D. pulchra as example)

  • Elongated body, rounded head, cylindrical tail.
  • Cuticle strated, each annule with fine longitudinal striations
  • Scattered, short and scarce somatic setate along body
  • Lips small, labial sensilla not obvious
  • Amphid fovea distinct, loop shaped
  • Buccal cavity minute, no teeth
  • Pharynx muscular with anterior buccal bulb and posterior pyriform bulb
  • Diorchic, testes outstretched
  • Spicules strong, curved, sclerotized
  • Gubernaculum small
  • Tail cylindrical; 3 caudal glands open through a small spinneret


Body size range for the species of this genus in the database - Click:
Back to Top

Distribution:

Free-living marine nematodes. Species are reported from the North Sea, tropical regions and from the deep sea.

Back to Top

Feeding:

Presumably epistrate/dissoleved organic matter feeders
Back to Top

Biology and Ecology:

Back to Top

Life Cycle:

 
For Ecophysiological Parameters for this genus, click 
Back to Top

Ecosystem Functions and Services:

 

Back to Top

Management:

 
Back to Top

References:

Vincx, M. and Gourbault, N. 1992. Six new species of the genus Diplopeltula (Nematoda: Diplopeltidae) with remarks on the heterogeneity of the taxon  Hydrobiologia 230:165-178.

 

 

 

Copyright  1999 by Howard Ferris.
Revised: February 02, 2023.