Tripylella

 

Contents

 

Rev: 12/21/2021

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

Enoplea
  Enoplia
        Enoplida
            Tripylina
                 Tripyloidea
                    Tripylidae

Tripylella  Brzeski & Winiszewska-Slipinska, 1993

    Synonyms:

Type species Tripylella intermedia. Synonymized from Paratripyla intermedia

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Morphology and Anatomy:

The genera Tripylella Brzeski & Winiszewska-Ślipińska, 1993 and Tripyla Bastian, 1865 (Tripylinae, Tripylidae, Enoplida, Nematoda) are both diovarial and amphidelphic but are distinguished morphologically in the configuration of whorls of anterior sensillae. Both genera have six circumoral inner labial papillae, but in Tripyla the whorl of four cephalic setae is well-separated and posterior to the whorl of six outer labial setae while in Tripylella, the two whorls are very close together so that they appear as a single whorl of six, usually longer, and four, usually shorter, setae.

The genus Tripylina Brzeski, 1963 of the Trischistomatidae also has the outer labial and cephalic setae in a single whorl but the females are monovarial, prodelphic (Andrassy, 2007; Cid del Prado et al., 2010; and Cid del Prado et al., 2016).

 

 

Females:

  Diovarial, amphidelphic.

Caudal glands open through spinneret at tail tip.

 

 


   

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

 

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Feeding:

Nematodes of the family Tripylidae are generalist predators of small aquatic and soil organisms. Many authors have commented on the freshwater and
wet soil in which these nematodes are found, and on the nature of their prey based on observation of intestinal contents or from behavior. Among the recorded prey, as reviewed and collated by Small (1987), are nematodes, rotifers and protozoa (Cid del Prado et al., 2012). 

Nematodes in the Tripylidae attach to soil particles or other substrate via adhesive material extruded from the caudal glands through the spinneret.  Thus anchored, the body moves quite reapidly in water films, sometimes thrashing vigorously.  This behavior has at least three possible purposes: 1. to make tactile contact with prey organisms, 2. to create currents that stir up the sediment and potential prey organisms settled therein, and 3. to anchor the nematode in currents of moving water.

Interestingly similar attachment and feeding behavior occurs in other nematode groups  that, based on most characters, appear to be only distantly related.  For example, the generalist predators of the Tripylidae are in the Class Enoplea, Subclass Enoplia, Order Enoplida, the specialist predators of other nematodes in the Mononchidae are in the Class Enoplea, Subclass Dorylaimia, Order Mononshida, while the bacterivorous Plectidae are in the Class Chromadorea, Subclass Chromadoria, Order Plectida, according to the phylogeny proposed by De Ley and Blaxter, (2002, 2004).

 

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:

 

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Copyright © 1999 by Howard Ferris.
Revised: December 21, 2021.