Limonchulus

  

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Rev: 09/30/2024

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

Enoplea
  Enoplia
        Enoplida
            Tripylina
                 Tripyloidea
                    Onchulidae
Onchulinae

Limonchulus Andrassy, 1963

Type species of the genus: Limonchulus bryophilus Andrassy, 1963

    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.

The genus Limonchulus is differentiated from other genera of the by the stoma being more funnel-shaped  with the dorsal tooth large and rasp-like field surrounding the tooth.

  • Body length around 2-2.5 mm
  • Head not offset from body contour; bears two rings of cephalic setae, 6 longer and 4 shorter. There is also a ring of 4 well-developed cervical setae.
  • Stoma wide, funnel-shaped with three teeth, the dorsal tooth larger
  • Cardia large and elongate
  • Tail long to filiform, finely pointerd
  • No caudal glands or spinneret but usually with a fine mucron.

Females:

  • Didelphic, amphidelphic.
  • Spermatheca usually devoid of sperm or uterus with elongat eand sickle-shaped sperm cells

Ref: Andrassy, 2007; Swart and Furstenberg, 1993.

 

 


   

Limonchulus heynsi A. Fenale anterior; B: Male head region
Drawings from Swart and Furstenberg, 1993

Males:  

  • Male present in some species
  • Dirochic
  • Spicules well developed
  • No gubernaculum

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

Species have been described from freshwater ponds and moist habitats.

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Feeding:

Classified as predators by Yeates et al (1993)

Biology and Ecology:

 

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Life Cycle:

 
For Ecophysiological Parameters for this genus, click 
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Ecosystem Functions and Services:

Regulation of opportunistic species through predation.

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Management:

 
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References:

Andrassy, I. 2007. Free-living nematodes of Hungary (Nematoda, Errantia), II. Hungarian Natural History Museum, Budapest, Hungary. 496 pp.

Swart, A. and Furstenberg, J.P. 1993. Description of two new species of the genera Onchulus and Limonchulus from southern Africa (Nematoda: Enoplida, Onchulinae). Phytophylactica 25:11-19.

Yeates, G.W., T. Bongers, R. G. M. De Goede, D. W. Freckman, and S. S. Georgieva. 1993. Feeding habits in soil nematode families and genera—An outline for soil ecologists. Journal of Nematology 25:315-331

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Copyright 1999 by Howard Ferris.
Revised: September 30, 2024.