Family Muspiceidae

                                 Revised 01/19/26

Classification:

Phylum Nematoda

Class Enoplea

SubclassDorylaimia

Order Muspiceida

Suborder Muspiceina

Superfamily Muspiceoidea

Muspiceidae Brumpt, 1930

• Animal parasitic species

• Small nematodes

• Parasites of skin, eyes, vascular systems and muscles of vertebrates - mice and bats.

• Head without cuticular straition, papillae or bristles.

• Dorsal esophageal gland large and transformed into an osmo-regulatory cell which is connected to lateral longitodinal excretory canals and discharges into the esophagus.

• Intestine is replaced by a trophosome as in the Mermithida.

• Vulva either functional and near mid-body, or atrophied.

• Most genera are protandrous hermaphrodites.  However, in Pennisia males are present although they lack spicules.

Genera:

Ref: Spratt, 2013.

    Go To Dictionary of Terminology 

References

Spratt, D.M 2013. Muspiceida. In Andreas Schmidt-Rhaesa (Ed) Nematoda

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