Superfamily APHELENCHOIDOIDEA Skarbilovitch, 1947 (Siddiqi, 1980)

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Regional Maps

• APHELENCHOIDOIDEA Siddiqui, 1980.
• APHELENCHOIDOIDINAE Skarbilovitch, 1947.

Introduction

Aphelenchoidoidea is by far the more diverse of the aphelenchid superfamilies, characterised by fewer than 6 lateral lines, and nerve ring circum intestinal. Most other characters are highly variable.

The superfamily is ubiquitous, with species recorded even from saline habitats. Common habitats include soil, moss, insect frass, figs, decaying fruit, etc.

Within the group, species include predators, microbivores, and internal or external parasites of insects or plants. Some species have very narrow preferences, but plasticity in feeding habits is common.

Known life cycles are between 5 and 15 days for mycetophagous or plant-parasites, more for species tied to the life cycles of particular hosts, and less where there is rapid parthenogenetic multiplication of a particular life cycle phase. The duration of life cycles depends mostly on temperature, but may also depend on food source. Reproduction may be amphimictic or parthenogenetic.

Some members of the superfamily are of known economic importance, as parasites of plants. There are also insect parasites, but they are thought to have minor effects on host populations.

History of changes