Mermithida

Post-parasitic juvenile of Hexamermis sp., copyright S. Patricia Stock.

Belongs within: Dorylaimia.

The Mermithida are a group of nematodes that are parasitic on insects and other invertebrates. Members of the family Mermithidae emerge from the host as adults to breed whereas Tetradonematidae remain in their host.

Characters (from Khuong B. Nguyen): Parasites of invertebrates. Stichosome (longitudinal series of glandular cells arranged along the esophagus) present. Early juvenile stages with protrusible stylet that is absent in adults. Amphids dorylaimoid.

<==Mermithida [Mermithina, Mermithoidea, Stichosomia]
    |--Tetradonematidae LB02
    `--Mermithidae LB02
         |--Agamomermis phalangii (Haldeman 1851) [=Filaria phalangii] PC00
         |--Aranimermis gigantea PC00
         |--Mermis Dujardin 1842 H62
         |    |--*M. nigrescens Dujardin 1842 H62
         |    `--M. subnigrescens MM02
         |--Agamermis G02
         |    |--A. decaudata G02
         |    `--A. unka KH02
         |--Hexamermis PC00
         |    |--H. albicans P93
         |    |--H. brevis J02
         |    `--H. cavicola NC91
         `--Heydonius Taylor 1935 H62
              |--*H. matutinus (Menge 1866) [=Mermis matutina] H62
              |--H. antiquus Heydon 1862 W93
              |--H. dominicus Poinar 1984 P92
              `--H. quadristriata Menge 1872 P92

Mermithida incertae sedis:
  Gastromermis MM02
    |--G. boophthorae MM02
    |--G. hibernalis H02
    `--G. interstitialis Kaiser & Kirchengast 1979 E86
  Pheromermis cornicularis J02
  Amphimermis NC91
    |--A. bogongae NC91
    `--A. elegans J02
  Daubaylia MM02
  Romanomermis culicivorax [incl. Reesimermis nielseni] KH02
  Heleidomermis libani KH02
  Ovomermis sinensis KH02

Nomina nuda: Agamermis incerta Steiner in Stipperger 1928 PC00
             Filaria truncata Rudolphi 1819 [=Mermis truncata] PC00
             Filaria truncatula Rudolphi 1819 [=Agamomermis truncatula, Gordius truncatula, Mermis truncatula] PC00

*Type species of generic name indicated

REFERENCES

[E86] Eder, R. 1986. Nematoda from continental subterranean aquatic habitats. In: Botosaneanu, L. (ed.) Stygofauna Mundi: A Faunistic, Distributional, and Ecological Synthesis of the World Fauna inhabiting Subterranean Waters (including the Marine Interstitial) pp. 125–132. E. J. Brill/Dr W. Backhuys: Leiden.

[G02] Gems, D. 2002. Ageing. In: Lee, D. L. (ed.) The Biology of Nematodes pp. 413–455. Taylor & Francis: Florence (Kentucky).

[H02] Hope, I. A. 2002. Embryology, developmental biology and the genome. In: Lee, D. L. (ed.) The Biology of Nematodes pp. 121–145. Taylor & Francis: Florence (Kentucky).

[H62] Howell, B. F. 1962. Worms. In: Moore, R. C. (ed.) Treatise on Invertebrate Paleontology pt W. Miscellanea: Conodonts, Conoidal Shells of Uncertain Affinities, Worms, Trace Fossils and Problematica pp. W144–W177. Geological Society of America, and University of Kansas Press.

[J02] Justine, J.-L. 2002. Male and female gametes and fertilisation. In: Lee, D. L. (ed.) The Biology of Nematodes pp. 73–119. Taylor & Francis: Florence (Kentucky).

[KH02] Kerry, B. R., & W. M. Hominick. 2002. Biological control. In: Lee, D. L. (ed.) The Biology of Nematodes pp. 483–509. Taylor & Francis: Florence (Kentucky).

[LB02] Ley, P. de, & M. Blaxter. 2002. Systematic position and phylogeny. In: Lee, D. L. (ed.) The Biology of Nematodes pp. 1–30. Taylor & Francis: Florence (Kentucky).

[MM02] Munn, E. A., & P. D. Munn. 2002. Feeding and digestion. In: Lee, D. L. (ed.) The Biology of Nematodes pp. 211–232. Taylor & Francis: Florence (Kentucky).

[NC91] Nielsen, E. S., & I. F. B. Common. 1991. Lepidoptera (moths and butterflies). In: CSIRO. The Insects of Australia: A textbook for students and research workers 2^nd ed. vol. 2 pp. 817–915. Melbourne University Press: Carlton (Victoria).

[P93] Pittaway, A. R. 1993. The Hawkmoths of the Western Palaearctic. Harley Books: Colchester.

[P92] Poinar, G. O., Jr. 1992. Life in Amber. Stanford University Press: Stanford.

[PC00] Poinar, G. O., Jr., B. P. M. Čurčic, I. V. Karaman, J. C. Cokendolpher & P. G. Mitov. 2000. Nematode parasitism of harvestmen (Opiliones: Arachnida). Nematology 2 (6): 587–590.

[W93] Wills, M. A. 1993. Miscellania. In: Benton, M. J. (ed.) The Fossil Record 2 pp. 555–560. Chapman & Hall: London.

Last updated: 23 March 2021.