Drepanodorylaimus

  

Contents

  

Rev 01/13/2026

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

Enoplea
Dorylaimia
     Dorylaimida
Dorylaimidae
Afrodorylaiminae

Drepanodorylaimus Jairajpuri, 1966

Type species of the genus: Drepanodorylaimus filiformis Jairajpuri, 1966

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Morphology and Anatomy:

 
  • Body length 0.9-2.3 mm long.
  • Cuticle smooth, thin.
  • Lip region truncate, only slightly offset
  • Large amphid apertures, 2/3 to 3/4 body width.
  • Odontostyle, length 2.0-2.5x labial diameter, clearly sinuate.
  • Guiding ring thin, simple.
  • Esophagus with wider portion posterior to 50% of its length.
  • Cardia long and slender.
  • Prerectum short.
  • Female genital system diovarial, amphidelphic; uteri short, about 1 body width in length.
  • Males absent in all known species of this genus; female uterus without spematozoa, parthenogenetic.
  • Female tail uniformly tapered.

Ref: Andr�ssy, 2009; Vinciguerra, 2006; Asgari et al., 2025

Key features of the genus Drepanodorylaimus are the lip region continuous with the adjoining body, strong and visibly sinuate/sigmoid odontostyle and long, filiform female tail. The odontostyleshape is considered by Asgari et al (2025) as an apomorphic condition, also found in some other Dorylaimidae, including  species in the genus Dorylaimus. Also, the complete absence of males, unusual in dorylaims, is unique (Asgari et al., 2025).
Body size range for the species of this genus in the database - Click:
 
   
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Distribution:

Moist soil, mosses, semi-aquatic and freshwater habitats.

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Feeding:

Food Sources and Feeding strategies for the genus Drepanodorylaimus

Categorized as omnivores (Yeates et al., 1993).

   
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Biology and Ecology:

 

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Life Cycle:

Males not present, not sexually reproducing.

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

 

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Management:

 

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Additional Information and Resources

University of Nebraska Nematode Website (Developed by Dr. Tom Powers and colleagues)

(Use your Return Key or click the Index Tab to return to this Nemaplex page)

 

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References:

Andrassy, I. 2009. Free-living Nematodes of Hungary III.  Hungarian Natural History Museum, Budapest. 608p.

Asgari, M., Mohammadlou, M., Mokhtari, S., Eskandari, E., Ruis, M.G., Pena-Santiago, R. 2025. Description and molecular characterisation of Drepanodorylaimus ignotus sp. n. (Nematoda: Dorylaimida, Dorylaimidae) from Iran, with new insights into its evolutionary relationships and updated taxonomy of the genus. Nematology 27:1019-1031.

Vinciguerra, M.T. 2006. Dorylaimida Part II: Superfamily Dorylaimoidea.  Pp 392-467 in Eyualem-Abebe, W. Traunspurger and I Andrassy (eds) Freshwater Nematodes: Ecology and Taxonomy. CABI, Cambridge MA.

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: January 13, 2026.