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

Classification:

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Morphology and Anatomy:

• Robust nematodes, with male tail in 2 or 3 tight coils.
• Stoma slit-like with paired lateral pseudolabia forming trilobed domed anterior extremity. Antero-medial margin of each pseudolabium, armed with single large external triangulate tooth and single internal tripartite tooth. Two prominent submedian papillae and an amphid laterally. Cuticle at base of pseudolabia forms a prominent ridged collar.
• Esophagus 16-21%  of body length, with short anterior muscularand longer posterior glandular portions. Nerve ring encircles muscular esophagus;

Female:

• Vulval opening not prominent, without ornamentation, at about mid-body
• Didelphic. Vagina long, (about 14 mm ), looped, uterus with 2 branches.
• Tail conical about 1 mm long; phasmids lateral about halfway between anus and tail tip.
• Eggs thick shelled, ellipsoidal

Male:

• Caudal alae well developed, vesicular; area rugosa prominent, beginning antero-laterally to cloaca, extending postero-laterally, to level of anterior pair of post cloacal papillae.
• Cloaca oval.
• Caudal papillae 3 pairs pedunculate, precloacal, 3 pairs and 1 median sessile cloacal, 3 pairs sessile postcloacal, 1 pair sessile papillae at tail tip.
•  Spicules dissimilar, enclosed in sheaths, left spicule 750, right spicule 1,080 um long tips dissimilar, left pointed, right robust.
• Tail blunt, conical almost 2 mm long.

Ref  Smales and Chisholm, 2024

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Distribution:

Described as a parasite of the marsupial bandicoot, Echymipera kalubu, from the western highlands of Papua New Guinea.

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Feeding:

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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:

Mawson, P. M. 1960. Nematodes belonging to the Trichostrongylidae,Subuluridae, Rhabdiasidae and Trichuridae from bandicoots. Australian Journal of Zoology 8:261-284

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.