Desmodoridae Filipjev, 1922

Leduc, Daniel & Verschelde, Dominick, 2015, New Spirinia and Stygodesmodora species (Nematoda, Spiriniinae) from the Southwest Pacific, and a revision of the related genera Spirinia, Chromaspirina and Perspiria, European Journal of Taxonomy 118, pp. 1-25 : 3

Family Desmodoridae Filipjev, 1922

Type genus

Desmodora de Man, 1889 (synonym: Mastodex Steiner, 1921 ).

Emended diagnosis (modified from Lorenzen 1981 and Decraemer & Smol 2006)

Member of Desmodoroidea . Cuticle with coarse annulations, at least in anterior body region, or striated. Specialised somatic setae, such as adhesion tubes ( Draconematidae ) or ambulatory setae ( Epsilonematidae ) not present. Amphideal fovea usually spiral, unispiral, cryptospiral, or cryptocircular, and sometimes loop- or pore-shaped. Buccal cavity with small to large dorsal tooth and smaller or indistinct subventral teeth. Pharynx usually with round muscular posterior bulb, with or without cuticularised lumen; sometimes bulb is pyriform, elongated, or indistinct. Gubernaculum without dorsal apophyses. Males usually monorchic, except in Onepunema Leduc & Verschelde, 2013 (diorchic). Vulva usually posterior to middle of body. Tail conical.

Remarks

Armenteros et al. (2014) recently argued that the genus Onepunema Leduc & Verschelde, 2013 is more closely related to the Microlaimidae than to the Desmodoridae because of the presence of two testes (a feature common in the former but not found in the latter). The Microlaimidae , however, are characterised by the presence of outstretched ovaries, while Onepunema possesses reflexed ovaries, a characteristic of the Desmodoridae . This trait, in combination with the presence of a cephalic capsule in Onepunema (an important characteristic for the classification of supraspecific taxa within the Desmodorida and never found within the Microlaimoidea) suggests closer affinities with the Desmodoridae (and Desmodorinae in particular) than with the Microlaimidae . Armenteros et al. (2014: 26) incorrectly stated that “… the presence of reflexed ovaries […] suggest a relationship with Bolbolaimus Cobb, 1920 , Calomicrolaimus Lorenzen, 1976 and Microlaimus de Man, 1880 ”. Reflexed ovaries are not found in any of these genera; perhaps Bolbolaimus was confused with Bolbonema Cobb, 1920 (see comments under Chromaspirina longisetosa Jensen, 1985 below), which belongs to the Desmodoridae due to the presence of reflexed ovaries and a globular cephalic capsule.