Africanema		Contents		Rev: 08/30/2026
		Classification		Biology and Ecology
		Morphology and Anatomy		Life Cycle
Return to Africanema Menu				Ecosystem Functions and Services
		Distribution		Management
Return to Trefusiidae Menu		Feeding		References
		Go to Nemaplex Main Menu		Go to Dictionary of Terminology

Classification:

Enoplea

  Enoplia
        Enoplida

            Trefusiin

Trefusioidea

                   Trefusiidae

Africanema Vincx & Furstenberg, 1988

Type species of the genus: Africanema interstitialis Vincx & Furstenberg, 1988

    Synonyms:

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Morphology and Anatomy:

• Cuticle striated.
• Anterior sensilla separated in three circles, outer labial setae jointed, inner labial setae and cephalic setae may be jointed.
• Amphidial fovea elongate.
• Buccal cavity cylindrical, spacious, without teeth
• Pharynx cylindrical. cardia triangular
• Pharyngeal supplements may be present.

Males:

• Diorchic, testes opposed
• Spiculas curved, about 2 cbd long
• Gubernaculum sclerotized, with apophyses

Females:

• Monodelphic, opisthodelphic
• Vulva at about 25% of body length

Ref: Huang and Guo, 2022

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Distribution:

Free-living marine nematodes; specdies reported from intertidal sandy sediment.

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Feeding:

Food Sources and Feeding strategies for the genus Africanema

Ingestion of microbes in sediment and epistrate.

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Biology and Ecology:

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Life Cycle:

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Ecosystem Functions and Services:

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Management:

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References:

Gerlach, S.A. 1967. Freilebende Meeres-Nematoden von den Sarso-Inseln (Rotes Meer) 3.  Beitrag der Arbeitsgruppe Litoralforschung. Meteor Forschungsergebnisse, Reihe D, Biologie, 2:19-43.

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

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Revised by Howard Ferris: August 30, 2026.