Belondiridae

The Dorylaimida family Belondiridae Thorne, 1939 includes two subfamilies (Axonchiinae Thorne, 1964 and Belondirinae Thorne, 1939) and a total of 18 genera, o.a. Axonchium Cobb, 1920 and Syncheilaxonchium Coomans & Nair, 1975.

Typical for this family is the absence of sclerotized pieces around the oral opening and the presence of a non flanged rod-like odontophore and a short tail in both sexes. They are mostly soil dwellers with a few taxa found in aquatic habitats and can be found world-wide.

More pictures of Syncheilaxonchium (Altherr, 1974)::

Syncheilaxonchium cf nairi: anterior body part with pharynx

Syncheilaxonchium cf nairi: posterior body part

Syncheilaxonchium cf nairi: head region with amphid openings

Syncheilaxonchium cf nairi: head region with amalgamated lips (guiding ring visible)

Syncheilaxonchium cf nairi: head region with short odontostyle and odontophore

Syncheilaxonchium cf nairi: pharynx basis and start of the intestine

Syncheilaxonchium cf nairi: widening of lower pharynx part

Suncheilaxonchium cf nairi: tail region with anal opening visible

More pictures of Axonchium propinquum (de Man, 1921):

Axonchium propinquum: sclerotized vagina

(Click on the pictures for an enlargement, ©Wageningen University & Research, Laboratory of Nematology/Pictures: Hanny van Megen)