Family Sphaerolaimidae

                                 Revised 01/26/26

Classification:

Phylum Nematoda

  Class Chromadorea

    Subclass Chromadoria

Order Monhysterida

Suborder Monhysterina

Superfamily Sphaerolaimoidea

Sphaerolaimidae Filipjev, 1918

Marine predatory nematodes from open ocean, continental shelf and estuaries.

Characteristics:

• Cuticle striated or annulated.
• Six outer labial setae and four cephalic setae in one circle, with cephalic seta longer than outer labial seta. Eight groups of sub-cephalic setae present (four groups in Megalamphis ).
• Buccal cavity wide, barrel-shaped (except for Subsphaerolaimus, which is conical) with longitudinal ribs, surrounded by esophageal tissue only at the base
• Circular amphids.
• Somatic setae along body.
• Ventral gland present, opening behind nerve ring.
• Females monodelphic, prodelphic.
• Males usually diorchic, testes on opposite sides of intestine..

Ref: Fonseco and Bezerra

    Go To Dictionary of Terminology 

References

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