Macrodontium gaspari

Macrodontium gaspari	Contents	Rev 09/01/2024
	Classification	Biology and Ecology
	Morphology and Anatomy	Life Cycle
Return to Macrodontium Menu		Ecosystem Functions and Services
	Distribution	Management
Return to Microlaimidae Menu	Feeding	References
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Classification:

Chromadorea
Chromadoria
Desmodorida: Desmodorina
Microlaimoidea: Microlaimidae

Macrodontium gaspari Armenteros, Vincx & Decraemer, 2010.

Type species of the genus.

Morphology and Anatomy:

Body fusiform; cuticle annulated covered with dots; smooth at anterior end.
Head with four cephalic sensilla which are larger than six outer labial sensilla.
Amphidial fovea cryptospiral without protruding corpus gelatum, larger in male.
Stoma rather large, sclerotized, armed with a large dorsal tooth, two minute consecutive subventral teeth.
Esophagus without differentiated anterior part but with terminal bulb.
Cuticular striations simple
Tail conico-cylindrical in both sexes.

Ref: Armenteros et al., 2010

Female:

Reproductive system didelphic, amphidelphic.
Ovaries outstretched, with spermatecae.

Male:

Reprodictive system monorchic
Gubernaculum with one well developed dorso-caudal apophysis.

Reported median body size for this species (Length mm; width micrometers; weight micrograms) - Click:

Distribution:

Marine spwecies, described from the muddy ssubtidal sediments of Cienfuegos Bay in the Caribbean Sea.

Feeding:

Free-living, probably feeding on bacteria and perhaps sediments containing algae and protozoa.

Armenteros et al (2010) report that individuals of Macrodontium gaspari were common in muddy, organically enriched, bottom sediments subjected to pollution by heavy metals and hydrocarbons in Cienfuegos Bay. Specimens were always collected in the upper 2 cm of the sediment and were absent below that depth. The species appears to be tolerant to chemical pollution since it was relatively abundant in sediment with high concentrations of heavy metals.

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Life Cycle:

Ecophysiological Parameters:

For Ecophysiological Parameters for this species, click	If species level data are not available, click for genus level parameters

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Ecosystem Functions and Services:

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Management:

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References:

Armenteros, M., Vincx, M. and Decraemer, W, 2010. Guitartia tridentata n. gen., n. sp. (Monhysterida: Xyalidae) and Macrodontium gaspari n. gen., n. sp. (Chromadorida: Microlaimidae), free-living marine nematodes from the Caribbean Sea. Nematology 12:417-427.