Cygnonema

 

Contents

  

Rev: 07/25/2026

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

Chromadorea
  Chromadoria
   Desmodorida
Desmodorina
             Desmodoroidea
               Draconematidae
      Prochaetosominae

  •         Cygnonema Allen & Noffsinger, 1978
    •      

        Synonyms:
         

    Type species:  Cygnonema steineri Allen & Noffsinger, 1978

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    Morphology and Anatomy:

    Cygnonema verum (adapted from Raes et al., 2009)

    • Body length 1-3.1 mm, slender, S-shaped (Cygnonema = swan nematode), enlarged at level of pharynx.

    • Cuticle smooth or inconspicuous striation.

    • Cephalic adhesion tubes 10-16  with enlarged base and fine or slightly swollen tip, arranged in 4 longitudinal rows

    • Posterior adhesion tubes with bell-shaped tip, in 4 rows.

    • Subcephalic setae 2-18

    • Amphid apertures behind head capsule, loop-shaped to spiral in males, inconspicuous and tubulkar in female.

    • Buccal cavity weakly developed, with or without a small dorsal tooth.

    • Pharynx long and cylindrical with oval or elongate terminal bulb; lumen wall not thickened.

    • Cloacal/anal flap may be present.

    1Females:

    • Didelphic, ovaries reflexed.

    • Short paravulval setae present.

     
     


    Males:      

    • Monorchic.
    • Tail conical-cylindrical

     

    Ref: Raes et al., 2009; Rho et al., 2011

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

    Marine nematodes reported from cold water habitats in Antarctica and the North Atlantic ocean. Sometimes with degraded coldwater coral and sponges.

     
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    Feeding:

    Food Sources and Feeding strategies for the genus Cygnonema

     

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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:

    Allen MW, Noffsinger EM (1978) A revision of the marine nematodes of the superfamily Draconematoidea Filipjev, 1918 (Nematoda: Draconematina). Univ Calif Publs Zool 109: 1-133

    Decraemer W, Gourbault N, Backeljau T (1997) Marine nematodes of the family Draconematidae (Nemata): a synopsis with phylogenetic relationships. Hydrobiologia 357: 185-202

    Raes, M., Decraemer, W., Vanreusel, A. 2009. Draconematidae (Nematoda) from cold-water corals in the PorcupineSeabight: The genus  Cygnonema  Allen & Noffsinger, 1978. Organisms, Diversity, Evolution  37:e1-e20.

    Rho, H.S., Decraemer, W., Sorensen, M.V., Min, W.G., Jung, J. and Kim, W. 2011. Megadraconema cornutum, a new genus and species from
    Korea, with a discussion of its classification and relationships within the family Draconematidae (Nematoda, Desmodorida) based on morphological
    and molecular characters. Zoological Sci., 28:68-84.

     

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    Copyright © 1999 by Howard Ferris.
    Revised: July 25, 2026.