Genus Alaimus

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ORDER ENOPLIDA

Family Alaimidae

Genus Alaimus

Genus Alaimus
de Man, 1880

The Genus Alaimus was found at KBS/LTER, Michigan by Frekman and Ettema (1993), Birney (unpublished data) and Quintanilla Tornel (2006, 2007 or 2008 sampling).

Genus Alaimus de Man, 1880

Diagnosis

Alaiminae. Cuticle smooth. Lip region rounded, continuous with body contour.Anterior sensilla in two circles, inner labial sensilla mostly invisible (L.M.). Amphid apertures minute, pore-like. connected with fusus by slender and short amphidial duct. Pharynx with seven pharyngeal gland cells. Pharyngo-intestinal valve thin and disc-like. Excretory pore far back in pharyngeal region and often obscure. Females monodelphic-opisthodelphic with reflexed ovary; vulva a transverse slit, vagina thick, muscular. Testis single, outstretched. Spicules quite short and simple; gubernaculum absent; supplements consisting of a ventromedian row of three to nine paillae (exceptionally 16), acloacal pair absent. Males know in freshwater or in about 59% of the species. Most species are terrestrial, some occur in freshwater or in moist soil." Smol and Coomans 2006

Definition

Alaimoidea.  Lip region rounded, continuous with body contour.  Outer circlet of cephalic papillae easily visible, inner circlet extremely small and sometimes invisible.  'Excretory pore' generally obscure, placed far back on oesophageal region.  Amphid apertures minute, connected directly with sensillae by slender amphidial tube; placed several body-widths from anterior end.  Pharynx obscurely tubular but actually tri-radiate in cross-section.  Oesophagus swollen in posterior third or less.  Apparently 7 oesophageal glands present.  Oesophago-intestinal valve thin and disc-like.  A distinct pre-rectum absent.  Ovary single, posterior, reflexed; vulva a transverse slit, pre-equatorial in position; vagina thick, muscular.  Testis single, outstrectched.  Spicules simple.  Supplements consisting of a ventromedian row; adanal pair absent.Type species: Alaimus primitivus de Man, 1880” From Goodey, 1963

References

Smol, N. and A. Coomans Order Enoplida. 2006. In: Eyualem Abebe, Traunspurger W., and Andrassy I. (eds) Freshwater Nematodes: Ecology and Taxonomy. CABI Publishing, Cambridge, MA, pp. 225-292

T. Goodey and J.B. Goodey. 1963. Soil and Freshwater Nematodes.  Butler and Tanner Ltd, London, Great Britain

Powers T. and P. Mullin. Plant and Insect Parasitic Nematodes. University of Nebraska Nematology Website. http://nematode.unl.edu/

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