Marisol Quintanilla Tornel - Ecological Website

Anguinidae Nicoll, 1935 (1926)

"Diagnosis. Small to large-sized, in general some adults may be obese and sedentary. Cuticle with fine transverse striations, often appearing smooth. Phasmid-like structures near vulva, dorsal from lateral field, not on tail. Cephalic region low, usually continuous with body contour, framework hexaradiate. Stylet delicate (under 15 micrometers), knob small. Median bulb with or without valve plates, posterior either offset or variable length overlapping intestine. Cardia absent, two anteriormost intestinal cells often acting as a valve. Female reproductive system prodelphic, ovary may be reflexed. Spermatheca, elongated, sac-like. Uterus with four or more cell rows. Postvulval sac regularly longer than body width. Sperm with large amount of cytoplasm (except Pseudohalenchus). Bursa usually subterminal. Tail typically elongate-conoid (seldom rounded or filiform).

Mainly fungal feeders and parasites of aerial parts of plants, also parasites of lower palnts (mosses, seaweeds). Anguina are often considered to be more closely related to the Tylenchidae than to the remaining Sphaerularoidea (e.g. Maggenti et al.. 1987; Brzeski, 1998; Siddiqi, 2000). " From Bert and Borgonie 2006.

“Procorpus generally separated from the median bulb by a constriction. Median bulb with or without valves; isthmus generally separated from the glandular bulb by a constriction; esophageal glands enlarged, generally overlapping intestine. Oocytes in many rows; columned uterus a long multinucleate tube. Testes usually with flexures; gubernaculum rarely absent; caudal alae long but not reaching tail tip. Mature females swollen. Form galls on above ground parts of higher plants, generally grasses.” From Powers and Mullin website http://nematode.unl.edu/