Aponema decraemerae		Contents		Rev 08/25/2026
		Classification		Biology and Ecology
		Morphology and Anatomy		Life Cycle
Return to Aponema Menu				Ecosystem Functions and Services
		Distribution		Management
Return to Microlaimidae Menu		Feeding		References
		Go to Nemaplex Main Menu		Go to Dictionary of Terminology

Classification:

Chromadorea

  Chromadoria

   Microlaimida

Microlaimina

             Microlaimoidea

   Microlaimidae

 Aponema decraemerae Muthumbi & Vincx, 1999

   

Note: Aponema decraemerae and A. mnazi were transferred from the genus Aponema to Microlaimus by Kovalyev and Miljutina (2009) because males of those species are diorchic, a characteristic of Microlaimus. Similarly, Microlaimus nanus was transferred to Aponema because the males of that species are monorchic.

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Morphology and Anatomy:

Cylindrical body attenuating on both anterior and posterior ends. Buccal cavity weakly cuticularised. Cuticle with fine annules Inner and outer labial sensilla are inconspicuous, while the four cephalic setae are very short Stoma rather small with one small dorsal and two sub-ventral teeth. Amphid simple and spiral. Pharynx with well developed pyriform terminal bulb, which is 80-85%of body diam. Tail long, conical and cylindrical on the posterior half with a pointed tip. Aponema decraemerae female anterior and posterior Drawings from Annapurna et al., 2012   Ref: Annapurna et al., 2012
Reported median body size for this species (Length mm; width micrometers; weight micrograms) - Click:

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Distribution:

Free-living marine nematodes.

Reported from: coastal areas of Kenya; Indian Ocean and northeast coast of India: Divi point (250 and 500 m), Kakinada (250 m), Vizag (250 and 500 m) and Barua (250 and 500 m) .

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Feeding:

  Probably bacteria and perhaps sediments containing algae and protozoa.

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Biology and Ecology:

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Life Cycle:

Ecophysiological Parameters:

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Ecosystem Functions and Services:

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Management:

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References:

Annapurna, C., Vijaya Bhanu, C., Srinivasa Rao, M., Sivalakshmi, M.V., Lilly M. .Cooper, G., Rao, Y.K. 2012. Free-living nematodes along the continental slope off northeast coast of India. J. Mar. Biol. Ass. India, 54:52-60.

Kovalyev, S.V., Miljutina, M.A. 2009. A review of the genus Aponema Jensen, 1978 (Nematoda: Microlaimidae) with description of three new species. Zootaxa DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.2007.1.3

Revkova, T.N. 2017. Two new species of free-living nematodes genera Microlaimus de Man, 1880 and Aponema Jensen, 1978 (Nematoda: Microlaimidae) from the Black Sea. Zootaxa 4344:387-394.

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Revised by Howard Ferris: August 25, 2026 .