Family Ironidae

                                 Revised 01/30/26

Classification:

Phylum Nematoda

Class:  Enoplea

Subclass:  Enoplia

Order:  Enoplida

Suborder:   Ironina

Superfamily:  Ironoidea

Family: Ironidae De Man 1876

A family of free-living marine (mainly) and freshwater nematodes.

Anatomy and Morphology:

• Stoma elongate, cylindrical, tubiform, cuticularized walls, surrounded buy 3 lips at the anterior opening.

• Stoma armed either anteriorly with three large movable teeth.

• Esophagus cylindrical, esophageal glands open anteriorly near the stoma.

• Females usually with two ovaries.

• Males when present have paired spicules and a small gubernaculum.

• Male with a single supplement ellevated on a papilla or seta.

• Caudal glands and spinneret  absent.

• Primarily inhabit freshwater and moist soil.

• Feed as predators.

    Go To Dictionary of Terminology 

References

Andrassy, I. 2007. Free-living Nematodes of Hungary II.  Hungarian Natural History Museum. 496pp.

Goodey, T and J.B. Goodey, 1963. Soil and Freshwater Nematodes. Methuen. London

Maggenti, A.R. 1981.  General Nematology. Springer Verlag, New York.

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