Philometra aenei

Philometra aenei	Contents	Rev 10/23/2022
	Classification	Biology and Ecology
	Morphology and Anatomy	Life Cycle
Return to Philometra Menu		Ecosystem Functions and Services
	Distribution	Management
Return to Philometridae Menu	Feeding	References
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Classification:

Chromadorea
Chromadoria
Rhabditida: Spirurina
Dracunculoidea
Philometridae

Philometra aenei Moravec , Chaabane, Neifar, Gey & Justine, 2016

Morphology and Anatomy:



Males: Body whitish, filiform, tapering to both ends, slightly narrower just posterior to cephalic end Cuticle smooth. Deirids minute (visible only under SEM), rectangular, located some distance posterior to nerve-ring and excretory pore Cephalic end rounded. Oral aperture small, triangular, surrounded by 14 cephalic papillae arranged in 2 circles: external circle formed by 4 submedian pairs of papillae; internal circle formed by 4 submedian and 2 lateral papillae Small lateral amphids just posterior to inner circle of lateral papillae. Esophagus slightly inflated at anterior end; posterior part of muscular oesophagus overlapped by well-developed esophageal gland with large cell nucleus in middle. Nerve-ring, excretory pore and oesophageal nucleus 141-174, 174-210 and 285-402 um, respectively, from anterior extremity. Testis reaching anteriorly nearly to level of nerve-ring. Tail blunt, with broad, V-shaped mound extending laterally. Caudal papillae 4 pairs, very flat, hardly visible, close to each other, situated on sides of cloacal aperture on mound Pair of small phasmids present at about middle of each mound arm Spicules equally long, conspicuously distended at posterior half in lateral view; proximal ends somewhat expanded, distal tips sharply pointed Gubernaculum with anterior portion somewhat dorsally bent. Spicules and gubernaculum well sclerotised'	Female: Body whitish, filiform, tapering to both ends, Cuticle smooth. Cephalic end rounded Esophagus with large esophageal gland at its posterior portion, extending from level of nerve-ring to end of esophagus; Anterior end of esophagus slightly inflated Nerve-ring 114-153 um from anterior extremity.. Ventriculus small, Intestine narrow, ending blindly, attached by short ligament to body wall near caudal extremity. Vulva at 64-71 of body length Uterus empty. Caudal end rounded Ref: Moravec et al., 2016
Reported median body size for this species (Length mm; width micrometers; weight micrograms) - Click:

Distribution:

Described as parasitizing the gonads of the white grouper fish (Epinephelus aeneus) off the coast of Tunisia (Moravec et al., 2016).

All philometrids are ovoviviparous and after fertilization, females become very large as first stage larvae fill their uteri. In fully gravid females the vulva and anus atrophy in most philometrid genera. The first stage juveniles are dispersed nhen the female body bursts in contact with water.(Moravec and de Buron, 2013).

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:

Moravec , F., Chaabane, A. Neifar, L., Gey, D., Justine, J-L. 2016. Descriptions of Philometra aenei n. sp. and P. tunisiensis n. sp. (Nematoda: Philometridae) from Epinephelus spp. off Tunisia confirm a high degree of host specificity of gonad-infecting species of Philometra Costa, 1845 in groupers (Serranidae). Syst. Parasitol. 93:115-128.

Moravec, F., de Buron, I. 2013. A synthesis of our current knowledge of philometrid nematodes, a group of increasingly important ish parasites. Folia Parasitologica 60:81-101.