Mesodorylaimus

 

Contents

 

Rev 04/24/2023

  Classification Biology and Ecology
Morphology and Anatomy Life Cycle
Return to Mesodorylaimus Menu Ecosystem Functions and Services
Distribution Management
Return to Dorylaimidae Menu Feeding  References
    Go to Nemaplex Main Menu   Go to Dictionary of Terminology

 

Classification:

Enoplea
Dorylaimidae
Mesodorylaiminae

Mesodorylaimus Andrassy 1959

Type species of the genus: Mesodorylaimus mesonyctius (Krteis, 1930) Andrassy, 1959

As of 2009, Andrassy reported 150 species of the genus but reflected that intensive study would be necessary to accept the validity of each of the listed species.

      Back to Top

Morphology and Anatomy:

 
  • Body length 0.8-2.3mm.
  • Cuticle smooth to finely striated
  • Labial region slightly offset from body contour, lips rounded or angular.
  • Odontostyle 1-1.5x head width.
  • Guiding ring simple.
  • Esophagus widening at or after 50% of esophagus length.
  • Females diovarial, amphidelphic; vulval slit transcverse or longitudinal.
  • Males with 5 to 26 ventromedian supplements, usually spaced.
  • Female tail medium length and pointed/filiform; Male tail rounded.
  • Females often more abundant than males.

ref: Andrassy, 2009

 

 

Representative Tail Shapes of Females of Species of Mesodorylaimus

(from Botha and Heyns, 1992)

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

Distribution:

Predominnatly in terrestrial environments, especially in moist conditions.  Some species in freshwater. Reported worldwide.

Back to Top

Feeding:

Categorized as omnivores (Yeates et al., 1993). The predatory behavior of M. bastiani on other nematodes has received detailed study (Bilgarmi, 1995; Bilgrami et al., 2001).

The prey cuticl;e is penetrated by thrusts of the odontostyle (usually 6-9 thrusts are necessary). Body contents of the prey are ingested throught the odontostyle (Bilgrami, 2008).

   
     
Back to Top

Biology and Ecology:

 In a study of the nematode faunae of Florida, USA, McSorley (2012) noted that Eudorylaimus (Qudsianematidae), Aporcelaimellus (Aporcelaimidae)  and Mesodorylaimus (Dorylaimidae) are dominant members of the omnivorous nematode fauna.  They are also reported as dominant in nematode faunae of Europe. The three genera are often found together and multiple species within the genera may be present in slngle soil samples.  In the study, these omnivore nematodes were present in ecosystems that were in nearly all stages of succession but they often reached their greatest numbers in the later stages of succession, such as in soils of old-growth forests. They also showed remarkable adaptation to extreme environments, including Antarctic habitats, dune sands and temperate sites without vegetation. They are reported from a variety of soil types but are limited by soil pH below 4.0. Compared to other nematode taxa, and consistent with their designation of cp 4 and 5 in the Bongers (1990) colonizer-persister system,.they are among the genera most sensitive to moisture levels in sandy soils and to pollution by heavy metals. Some reports also indicate adverse impacts from inorganic fertilisers and other agrichemicals in cultivetd systems.  

Back to Top

Life Cycle:

 
For Ecophysiological Parameters for this genus, click 
Back to Top

Ecosystem Functions and Services:

 

Back to Top

Management:

 

Back to Top

References:

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

 

Bongers, T. (1990) The maturity index: an ecological measure of environmental disturbance based on nematode species composition. Oecologia 83, 14-19.

 

Bilgrami, A.L. 1995. Numerical analysis of the predatory relations between Mesodorylaimus bastiani (Nematoda: Dorylaimida) and different prey trophic categories. Nematologia Mediterranea 23:81-88.

Bilgrami, A.L., Pervez, R., Yoshiga, T., Kondo, E. 2001. Attraction and aggregation behaviour of predatory nematodes, Mesodorylaimus bastiani and Aquatides thornei (Nematoda: Dorylaimida). Applied Entomology and Zoology 36:243-249.

Bilgrami, A.L. 2008. Biocontrol potentials of predatory nematodes. Chapter 1 in Ciancio, A. and Mukerji, K.G. (eds).Integrated Management and Biocontrol of Vegetable and Grain Crops Nematodes pp3-28.

 

Botha, A. and Heyns, J. 1992.  Freshwater nematodes of the genera Thornenema and Mesodorylaimus from the Kruger National Park with a diagnostic species compendium for South African species of the genus Mesodorylaimus (Nematoda: Dorylaimida). Koedoe; 35:25-42. doi: 10.4102/koedoe.v35i1.387

McSorley, R. 2012. Ecology of the dorylaimid omnivore genera Aporcelaimellus, Eudorylaimus and Mesodorylaimus. Nematology 14:645-663.

Taheed, U. and Ahmad, W. 2010. Four new species of the genus Mesodorylaimus Andr�ssy, 1959 (Nematoda: Dorylaimida) from India. Zootaxa 2642: 19�35.

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

 

Back to Top

For more information about nematodes Go to Nemaplex Main Menu.

Copyright © 1999 by Howard Ferris.
Revised: April 24, 2023.