Serpinema pelliculatus		Contents		Rev 07/18/2024
		Classification		Biology and Ecology
		Morphology and Anatomy		Life Cycle
Return to Serpinema Menu				Ecosystem Functions and Services
		Distribution		Management
Return to Camallanidae Menu		Feeding		References
		Go to Nemaplex Main Menu		Go to Dictionary of Terminology

Classification:

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Morphology and Anatomy:

• The etymology of the species nname rfers to a spicule covered by  a sheath or skin.

• Medium to large-sized nematodes. Anterior end truncated.

• Translucent red color, with thin transverse cuticular striations.

• Mouth opening in transverse slit; 2 pairs of cephalic papillae (1 latero-ventral pair and 1 latero-dorsal pair); and a pair of lateral amphids.

• Buccal capsule composed of 2 concave lateral valves; 2 pairs of curved sclerotized structures on the anterior part the valves; the valves internally marked by longitudinal ridges from anterior to posterior margin of buccal capsule, and incomplete ridges

• Tridents, 1 ventral and 1 dorsal, composed of a slightly rounded basal portion and 3 divergent branches; median branch shorter; lateral branches similar in size.

• Chitinous basal ring between buccal capsule and esophagus

• Esophagus consisting of a short muscular anterior portion and a glandular posterior portion.

• Nerve ring at anterior part of the muscular esophagus and excretory pore at posterior half of muscular esophagus.

Female:

• Diselphic, amphidelphic; vulva close to mid-body; slightly post equatorial; prominent lips; more developed posterior lip; situated
• Tail,  ending with 3 small projections, 1 dorsal and 2 ventrolateral
• Viviparous; uterus with several larvae.

Male:

• Caudal alae well-developed, starting at the level of a vesicular-like globular protrusion, ending near tail tip
• Fifteen pairs of pedunculate caudal papillae. Seven pairs pre cloacal: all lateral pairs. Two pairs ad cloacal: ventral and anterior to cloaca. Six pairs post cloacal: first, second and third pairs clustered close to cloaca; fourth and fifth pairs grouped, situated near mid-tail length; sixth pair close to tail end.
• One robust, sharp-edged spicule 477 (416-566) um  long, covered by a sheath.
• Gubernaculum absent.
• Tail ventrally curved with strong transverse musculature.

Ref Silva et al., 2023

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Distribution:

Type locality: Soure - Illia de Marajo, Para, Brazil.

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Feeding:

Type host: freshwater scorpion mud turtle, Kinosternon scorpioides. Parasite of stromach and intestine.

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Biology and Ecology:

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Life Cycle:

Dispersion among turtles is probably associated with the life cycle of the nematodes. Some studies suggest that the parasite larvae infect crustacean copepods which are intermediate hosts. The copepods can be ingested by paratenic hosts such as fish, amphibians, and aquatic snails. The parasite reaches the definitive host when the freshwater turtle feeds either the intermediate host or the paratenic host.

Sincwe maost freshwater turtles are omnivorous. feeding on algae, plants, seeds, insects, mollusks, fish, and small amphibians, their feeding habits facilitate infection  by different parasitic nematode larvae present in aquatic environments.(Silva et al., 2023).

Ecophysiological Parameters:

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Ecosystem Functions and Services:

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Management:

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References:

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Copyright 1999 by Howard Ferris.
Revised: July 18, 2024.