Tobriloides		Contents		Rev: 03/11/2023
		Classification		Biology and Ecology
		Morphology and Anatomy		Life Cycle
Return to Tobriloides Menu				Ecosystem Functions and Services
		Distribution		Management
Return to Onchulidae Menu		Feeding		References
		Go to Nemaplex Main Menu		Go to Dictionary of Terminology

Classification:

Enoplea

  Enoplia

        Enoplida

            Tripylina

                 Tripyloidea

                    Onchulidae

      Tobriloidinae

Tobriloides Loof, 1973

Type species of the genus: Tobriloides choii Loof, 1973

    Synonyms:

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Morphology and Anatomy:

Onchulidae can be recognized from other families of the Tripyloidea (Tripylidae and Trischistomatidae) by the two whorls of cephalic setae, the large buccal tooth, shape of the buccal cavity, the unusual pattern of the esophagus and the lack of a spinneret on the tail.

• Body tapering towards both ends.
• Cuticle appearing double-layered, 1.0-2.5 um thick with minute somatic pores scattered over the entire body.
• Lip region rounded, unstriated and slightly offset, with six well separated lips.
• Inner labial sensilla conical (papilliform), not articulated, about 1 um long. Outer labial sensilla long, setiform, articulated, more or less arcuate, directed outward, located at level of cheilostoma chamber. Cephalic sensilla shorter and thinner than outer labial sensilla, setiform, not articulated, situated at level of pharyngostoma
•  Amphidial aperture a transverse slit leading to a cup-like fovea, located immediately posterior to cephalic setae,  less than one labial region diameter from anterior of body.
•  Stoma of two parts: mouth opening leading into wide cheilostoma with weakly sclerotized walls; pharyngostoma consisting of an anterior funnel-shaped and posterior oval chambers, separated by a constriction. Walls of stoma asymmetrical, the dorsal wall being shorter than the ventrosublaterals.
• A small dorsal tooth located at the middle of the posterior pharyngostomatal chamber. The base of the posterior chamber with four backwardly directed denticles.
•  Pharynx cylindrical, enlarged anteriorly, muscular;
• Cardia multicellular, with about 40 nuclei; variable in length.
• Secretory-excretory pore located anterior to nerve ring level,  Renette consisting of two cells.
•  Anus with raised anterior lip. 
• Tail tapering gradually towards the tip, bent ventrad, its distal part usually bent sideways. Caudal glands three, arranged in a row, opening through a short spinneret. Four to six oval pseudocoelomocytes located on the dorsal side of body, between rectum and caudal glands

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Distribution:

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Feeding:

Predator on other nematodes;  intestine of some specimens containing remains of ingested nematode prey.

Biology and Ecology:

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Life Cycle:

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Ecosystem Functions and Services:

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Management:

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References:

Holovachov, O., Winiszewska, G., Sturhan, D., Esquivel, A., Wu, J. 2008. New genus, three new and two known species of the family Onchulidae Andrássy, 1964 with notes on systematics and biology of the family. J. Nematol. Morphol. Syst. 11:1-30

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Copyright 1999 by Howard Ferris.
Revised: March 11, 2023.