Megadraconema cornutum		Contents		Rev 08/24/2026
		Classification		Biology and Ecology
		Morphology and Anatomy		Life Cycle
Return to Megadraconema Menu				Ecosystem Functions and Services
		Distribution		Management
Return to Draconematidae Menu		Feeding		References
		Go to Nemaplex Main Menu		Go to Dictionary of Terminology

 Classification:

Chromadorea

  Chromadoria

   Desmodorida

Desmodorina

             Desmodoroidea

              Draconematidae

Draconematinae

    Megadraconema cornutum Rho, Decraemer, Sorensen, Min, Jung & Kim, 2011

Type species of the genus

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Morphology and Anatomy:

• Head capsule truncated, dome-shaped with thickened cuticle; thinner anterior cuticular collar with fringed border
• Lip region extrudedd; 6 well-developed lips each with a short labial seta. Anterior thin collar-like part of head capsule with about 18
  setae in two transverse rows
• Amphidial opening pore-like
• Twelve CAT ( ephalic adhesive tubes) in two transverse rows of six longitudinal pairs of tubular setae
• Stoma narrow, unarmed. Pharynx dumbbell-shaped, lumen wall not thickened; cardia well-developed.
• Somatic setae densely distributed
• PAT (posteriorc adhesive tubes)  in four longitudinal rows anterior to cloaca:

Megadraconema cornutum male A=entire body; B=surface anterior; C=spicules; D=detail of head capsule. Scale bars: 50 um (A), 20 um (B�D), 10 um (E). Drawings from Rho et al., 2011	Megadraconema cornutum female A=entire body; B=surface anterior; C=pharyngeal region; D=posterior sublateral and sublateral adhesion tube; E=tail region; F: vulva and vagina. Scale bars: 50 um (A), 20 um (B�F). Drawings from Rho et al., 2011
Male Monorchic, testis outstretched anteriorly for 42% of total body length Spicules slightly arcuate, 102-114 um long, up to 5.7% of total body length; capitulum offset, usually blunt beak-shaped Gubernaculum thin, parallel to spicules. Tail gradually tapering to non-annulated conical tip, Somatic setae on tail. Caudal gland reaching to posterior fourth sublateral adhesion tube and ending on well-developed spinneret. Female: Didelphic-amphidelphi, ovaries reflexed to left side. Vagina long, pars vaginae distalis surrounded by constrictor muscle. Vulval lips protruding Tail very short, gradually tapering up to conical, smooth terminus with well-developed spinneret. Ref: Rho et al., 2011

Reported median body size for this species (Length mm; width micrometers; weight micrograms) - Click:

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Distribution:

Described from subtidal zone of Munseom Islet off Jejudo, Korea; collected from detritus and coarse sediments containing dead mollusc.

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Feeding:

Probably epistrate feeders

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Biology and Ecology:

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Life Cycle:

Ecophysiological Parameters:

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Ecosystem Functions and Services:

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Management:

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References:

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