Okranema

Okranema	Contents	Rev: 06/12/2026
	Classification	Biology and Ecology
	Morphology and Anatomy	Life Cycle
Return to Okranema Menu		Ecosystem Functions and Services
	Distribution	Management
Return to Thoracostomopsidae Menu	Feeding	References
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Classification:

Enoplea
Enoplia Enoplida
Enoplina
Enoploidea
Thoracostomopsidae: Enoplolaiminae

Okranema Greenslade & Nicholas, 1991

Type species of the genus: Okranema eileenae Greenslade & Nicholas, 1991

Synonyms:

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Morphology and Anatomy:

The genus Okranema is characterized by:

Body short, broad. Cuticle very thick and annulated, sharply increases in thickness at base of head capsule.
Head square. Lip flaps well-developed and with fine ridges forming striations along their edges;
Cephalic setae inserted just above base of head capsule; short subcephalic setae.
Mandibular teeth S- or hook-shaped; mandibular columns distinct, arch anteriorly between teeth
Labial setae fairly long and stout.
Pharynx cylindrical; cardia pyriform.
Female monodelphic, gonad on left of intestine.
Spicules with thick walls,1 cbd long.
Gubernaculum S-shaped; precloacal supplement absent. Caudal glands precaudal.
Tail extremely short and broad.

ref: Smol et al., 2014

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

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Distribution:

Free-living predatory marine nematodes.

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Feeding:

Food Sources and Feeding strategies for the genus Okranema

Predatory on marine organisms.

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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:

Predators; regulation of opportunistic species.

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Management:

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References:

Greenslade, P., Nicholas, W.L. 1991. Some Thoracostomopsidae (Nematoda: Enoplida) from Australia, including descriptions of two new genera and diagnostic keys. Invert. Tax. 4: 1031-1052.

Smol, N., Muthumbi, A., Sharma, J. 2014. Order Enoplida, 7.3. In Schmidt-Rhaesa, A. (ed) Handbook of Zoology. De Gruyter, Berlin