Owenema		Contents		Rev: 10/01/2026
		Classification		Biology and Ecology
		Morphology and Anatomy		Life Cycle
Return to Owenema Menu				Ecosystem Functions and Services
		Distribution		Management
Return to Seuratidae Menu		Feeding		References
		Go to Nemaplex Main Menu		Go to Dictionary of Terminology

Classification:

Chromadorea

 Chromadoria

Rhabditida

                     Spirurina

                      Seuratoidea

                                  Seuratidae

Owenema Smales & Chisholm, 2024

Type species of the genus: Owenema mikosi Smales & Chisholm, 2024

    Synonyms:

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Morphology and Anatomy:

• Robust nematodes, females larger
• Cuticle with longitudinal rows of small spines which become smaller posteriorly.
• Mouth opening triangular, surrounded by 4 cephalic papillae and 2 amphids; lips absent; buccal ring shallow, with 4 teeth.
• Esophagus simple, swollen anteriorly and posteriorly with anterior proximal surface highly sclerotized
• Parasites of bandicoots, Echymipera spp., (marsupial mammals) from Papua New Guinea.

Males:

• Precloacal sucker absent,
• 6 pairs caudal papillae,
• spicules similar,
• gubernaculum stout;
• tail short with spiked tip

Females:

• Vulva in midbody, ovejector simple, uterus branched;
• Eggs oval, embryonated.

Ref: Smales and Chisholm, 2024

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Distribution:

Type species described from bandicoots, Echymipera spp., from Papua New Guinea.

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Feeding:

Food Sources and Feeding strategies for the genus Owenema

Tissues of the small intestine

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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:

Smales, L.R., Chisholm, L.A. 2024. Helminths from Echymipera kalubu, the Common Echymipera, (Peramelidae: Echymiperinae) from Papua New Guinea, with the Description of Owenema mikosi n. g., n. sp. (Ascaridida: Seuratidae) and Physaloptera echymipera n. sp. (Spirurida: Physaloptera). Comp. Parasitol. 91:44-54

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Revised by Howard Ferris: October 01, 2026.