Pternepsilonema		Contents		Rev 03/18/2025
		Classification		Biology and Ecology
		Morphology and Anatomy		Life Cycle
Return to Pternepsilonema Menu				Ecosystem Functions and Services
		Distribution		Management
Return to Epsilonematidae Menu		Feeding		References
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 Classification:

Chromadorea

  Chromadoria

   Desmodorida

Desmodorina

             Desmodoroidea

              Epsilonematidae

     Epsilonematinae

Pternepsilonema Verschelde & Vincx, 1993

  Type species of the genus:   Pternepsilonema servaesae Verschelde & Vincx, 1993

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Morphology and Anatomy:

Epsilonematidae are characterized by having an ε-shaped body (hence the name) and setae used in looper locomotion on the ventral surface of the body.  The condition of separate outlets for the three caudal glands is common among the genera of this family.  

Pternepsilonema and Polkepsilonema differ from all other Epsilonematidae bythe large number of subcephalic setae (fourteen to sixteen). Pternepsilonema resembles Polkepsilonema but distinguished by its subcephalic setae being  at the posterior edge of the head capsule and by the shape of ambulatory setae (straight, heavy setae with double distal tip in Pternepsilonema and bent, slender setae with single tip in Polkepsilonema.

• Ambulatory setae in 6 or 7 longitudinal rows; ambulatory setae straight, broad and hollow, with double distal tip: inconspicuous, straight anterior tip and bent posterior tip.
• Head capsule with four cephalic and fourteen to sixteen subcephalic setae.
• Subcephalic setae all situated at, or just in front of, posterior edge of head capsule (i.e. rostrum).
• Inconspicuous amphid also located at posterior edge of rostrum.  

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Distribution:

Type species described from coral intertidal sand on coast of Kenya.

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Feeding:

  Microbial 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:

Lorenzen, S. 1973. Die Familie Epsilonematidae (Nematodes). Mikrofauna Meeresboden, 25: 1-86.

 Raes, M., W. Decraemer and A. Vanreusel. 2006. Postembryonic morphology in Epsilonematidae, with a discussion on the variability of caudal gland outlets.  J. Nematology 38:97-118.

Steiner, G. 1927. Epsilonematidae, a new nemic family. The Journal of Parasitology, 14,:65-66.

Verschelde, D. and Vincx, M. 1993. Polkepsilonema mombasae gen. et sp. n. and Pterepsilonema servaesae gen. et sp. n. (Nematoda, Epsilonematodae) from East African coasts. Hydrobiologia, 257:129-142.

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Copyright © 1999 by Howard Ferris.
Revised: March 18, 2025.