''Durikainema'' is a

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

of two

nematode The nematodes ( or ; ; ), roundworms or eelworms constitute the phylum Nematoda. Species in the phylum inhabit a broad range of environments. Most species are free-living, feeding on microorganisms, but many are parasitic. Parasitic worms (h ...

s in the family

Robertdollfusiidae Robertdollfusiidae is a family of nematodes belonging to the order Muspiceida Muspiceida is an order of nematodes belonging to the class Enoplea Enoplea (enopleans) is a Class (biology), class, which with the classes SecernenteaTree of Lif ...

. Species have a head with a cuticular cephalic inflation, elongated papillae and

amphid Amphids (Greek: ''amphi'', around, double) are innervated invaginations of cuticle in nematodes. They are usually found in the anterior (head) region of the animal, at the base of the lips. Amphids are the principal olfactosensory organs of nemato ...

s, and well-developed musculature. Characteristics of the males include a single

spicule Spicules are any of various small needle-like anatomical structures occurring in organisms Spicule may also refer to: *Spicule (sponge), small skeletal elements of sea sponges *Spicule (nematode), reproductive structures found in male nematodes ( ...

and a long attenuated tail. ''Durikainema'' species

parasitize Parasitism is a close relationship between species, where one organism, the parasite, lives (at least some of the time) on or inside another organism, the host, causing it some harm, and is adapted structurally to this way of life. The ento ...

macropods Macropod may refer to: * Macropodidae, a marsupial family which includes kangaroos, wallabies, tree-kangaroos, pademelons, and several others * Macropodiformes The Macropodiformes , also known as macropods, are one of the three suborders of the ...

. The genus was circumscribed in 1982 with the

type species In International_Code_of_Zoological_Nomenclature, zoological nomenclature, a type species (''species typica'') is the species name with which the name of a genus or subgenus is considered to be permanently taxonomically associated, i.e., the spe ...

''Durikainema macropi'', a parasite of the

eastern grey kangaroo The eastern grey kangaroo (''Macropus giganteus'': gigantic large-foot; also great grey kangaroo or forester kangaroo) is a marsupial found in the eastern third of Australia, with a population of several million. Although a large ''M. giganteus ...

(''Macropus giganteus''). '' D. phascolarcti'', parasite of the

koala The koala (''Phascolarctos cinereus''), sometimes inaccurately called the koala bear, is an arboreal herbivorous marsupial native to Australia. It is the only Extant taxon, extant representative of the Family (biology), family ''Phascolar ...

(''Phascolarctos cinereus''), was described in 1998.

References

Enoplea Enoplea genera Parasitic nematodes of mammals Parasites of marsupials Nematodes described in 1982 {{Enoplea-stub