Anticoma		Contents		Rev: 08/26/2026
		Classification		Biology and Ecology
		Morphology and Anatomy		Life Cycle
Return to Anticoma Menu				Ecosystem Functions and Services
		Distribution		Management
Return to Anticomidae Menu		Feeding		References
		Go to Nemaplex Main Menu		Go to Dictionary of Terminology

Classification:

Enoplea

  Enoplia
        Enoplida

            Enoplina

                Enoploidea

                   Anticomidae

Anticominae

Anticoma Bastian 1865

Type species of genus: Anticoma eberthi Bastian, 1865

    Synonyms:

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Morphology and Anatomy:

Characteristics of the genus:

• Body tapering anterior and posterior, cuticle smooth.
• Circle of 10 anterior setiform sensillae; Row of lateral cervical setae.
• Buccal cavity small, conical, without teeth.
•  Secretory-excretory pore either anterior to or at level with posterior to the cervical setae.
• Tail conical with a filiform posterior end.

Males:

• Spicules arcuate with central lamella.
• Gubernaculum present
• Tubular precloacal supplement.

Females:

• Didelphic, amphidelphic, ovaries reflexed
• Vulva near mid-body
• Rail about 10 abd long with posterior filiform portion

Ref: Smol et al., 2014; Huang and Guo, 2022

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Distribution:

Free-living marine nematodes. Reported from subtidal silty sediment/

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Feeding:

Food Sources and Feeding strategies for the genus Anticoma

In lacking a distinct oral cavity, feeding is assumed by sucking in epistrate and sediment using esophageal muscles (Platonova and Galtsova, 1976).

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Biology and Ecology:

Thrive among algae in the littoral zone and beds of plant material in the sublittoral.

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Life Cycle:

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Ecosystem Functions and Services:

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Management:

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References:

Huang, Y. and Guo, Y. 2022, Free-living Marine Nematodes from the East China Sea, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-3836-7_10

Platonova, T.A. and Galtsova, V.V. 1976. Nematodes and their Role in the Meiobenthos. Studies on Marine Fauna Vol XV(XXIII) Academy of Sciences USSR, Nauka, Leningrad,  Translated 1985, Smithsonian Institute.

Smol N, A Muthumbi and J Sharma. 2014. Handbook of Zoology. Gastrotricha, Cycloneuralia and Gnathifera. Vol 2. Nematoda. 7.3 Order Enoplida. Walter De Gruyter. pp. 193-246.

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Revised by Howard Ferris: August 26, 2026.