Molgolaimus

 

Contents

  

Rev: 08/24/2026

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

Classification:

Chromadorea
  Chromadoria
   Desmodorida
Desmodorina
             Desmodoroidea
                Desmodoridae
       Molgolaiminae


        Molgolaimus Ditlevsen, 1921

     
Type species of the genus: Molgolaimus tenuispiculum Ditlevsen, 1921

    Synonyms:

 

Back to Top

Morphology and Anatomy:

The 33 Molgolaimus species described (as of 2006)  can be identified based on just a few morphometric features: spicule length, body length, anal body diameter, tail length and pharynx length (Fonseca et al., 2006).

 

Females:

  • Didelphic-mphidelphic, with ovaries reflexed; position of genital branches variable: anterior branch left and posterior branch right of the intestine or reversed, or both branches on the same side of the intestine,

  •  Spermatheca sometimes present

 
 



Males:  

  • Mmonorchic, single anterior outstretched testis left or right of the intestine. Vas deferens long and thin.
  •  Spicules of variable length and shape from short and bent to long and sinusoidal or straight.
  • Gubernaculum with or without apophysis.
  •  Pre-cloacal supplements often present.

Ref:  Fonseca et al., 2006

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

Distribution:

Marine nematodes present in all oceans from shallow waters to the deep sea in relatively high abundances (10-35% of the total community) (Fonseca et al., 2006; Muthumbi & Vincx 1996, Vanreusel et al. 1997, Lambshead et al. 2000). The genus is often more abundant in recently colonized sediments, such as those near hydrothermal vents  or on the continental slope of the Weddell Sea, where physical disturbance occurs by the constant shifting of large amounts of sediment due to iceberg scour (Vanhove et al. 1999, Lee et al. 2001).

Most of the species studied in the deep sea differ from those in shallow water and are often new to science.

 
Back to Top

Feeding:

Food Sources and Feeding strategies for the genus Molgolaimus

 

 

 

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:

Ditlevsen, H.J. 1921. Marine free-living nematodes from the Auckland and Campbell Islands (Papers from Dr Th. Mortensen’s Pacific Expedition 1914-16, III), Videnskabelige Meddelelser fra Dansk Naturhistoriske Forening, 70:1-32.

Fonseca, G., Vanreusel, A., Decraemer, W. 2006. Taxonomy and biogeography of Molgolaimus Ditlevsen, 1921 (Nematoda: Chromadoria) with reference to the origins of deep sea nematodes. Antarctic Science 18:23-50

Lambshead, P.J.D., Brown, C.J., Ferrero, T.J., Hawkins, L.E., Smith, C.R., Mitchell, N.J. 2003. Biodiversity of nematode assemblages from the region of the Clarion–Clipperton Fracture Zone, an area of commercial mining interest. Bio Med Central, 3:1-12.

Lee, H.J., Vanhove, S., Peck, L.S., Vincx, M. 2001. Recolonization of meiofauna after catastrophic iceberg scouring in shallow Antarctic sediments. Polar Biology, 24:918-925

Muthumbi, A.W., Vincx, M. 1996. Nematodes from the Indian Ocean: description of six new species of the genus Molgolaimus Ditlevsen (1921) (Nematoda: Desmodoridae). Bulletin de L’institut Royal des Sciences Naturelles de Belgique, Biologie, 66:17-28

Vanhove, S., Arntz, W. & Vincx,  M. 1999. Comparative study of the nematode communities on the southeastern Weddell Sea shelf and slope (Antarctica). Marine Ecology Progress Series, 181:237-256.

Vanreusel, A., Van den Bossche, I., Thiermann, 1997. Free-living marine nematodes from hydrothermal sediments: similarities with communities from diverse reduced habitats. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 157:207-219.

 

Back to Top

 

Revised by Howard Ferris.
Revised: August 24, 2026.