Aporcelaimus

The predator genus Aporcelaimus Thorne & Swanger, 1936 (family Aporcelaimidae Heyns, 1965) includes impressive large terrestrial nematodes (ranging between 4-10 mm in length). At present about 20 valid species are known, with Aporcelaimus superbus (de Man, 1880) Goodey, 1951 as the valid type species (see Loof & Heyns, 1997 why A. regius de Man, 1876 is no longer valid as type species for this genus). All species have a very thick cuticle, offset labial region with hardly separated large lips, odontostyle is short (as long as the lip width) with a large aperature. The female genital system is amphidelphic and the inner vulva lips are clearly sclerotized. The tail is short and rounded to conoid-rounded in males and females. Aporcelaimus species are distributed world-wide. See also the pictures of the related dorylaimid genus Aporcelaimellus (Heyns, 1965).