The ''Trichosomoididae'' is a

family Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...

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 ...

Morphological characteristics

The Trichosomoididae, as most nematodes, have an elongate body, vermiform and covered with a

cuticle A cuticle (), or cuticula, is any of a variety of tough but flexible, non-mineral outer coverings of an organism, or parts of an organism, that provide protection. Various types of "cuticle" are non- homologous, differing in their origin, structu ...

. There is often a cuticular ornamentation in form of cephalic vesicles or bosses. They are 'aphasmidian' nematodes, i.e. they have no phasmids.
The Trichosomoididae are small, with sometimes a marked sexual dimorphism, the female being larger than the male. In some cases, the male lives permanently or penetrates deeply in the female uterus. The body is slightly thicker in the posterior end.
The anterior part of the oesophagus is short, its posterior part is surrounded by glandular cells called stichocytes, arranged in chain.
The spicule and spicular sheath are absent or vestigial in the male.
The female has its vulva near the end of the oesophagus and its anus is terminal. Females are

oviparous Oviparous animals are animals that reproduce by depositing fertilized zygotes outside the body (i.e., by laying or spawning) in metabolically independent incubation organs known as eggs, which nurture the embryo into moving offsprings kno ...

; eggs are thick-shelled, with plugs on both poles. Eggs are embryonated when laid or laid at very early stage with incompletely developed shells.

Biology

Nematodes of the family Trichosomoididae are all

parasite Parasitism is a Symbiosis, close relationship between species, where one organism, the parasite, lives (at least some of the time) on or inside another organism, the Host (biology), host, causing it some harm, and is Adaptation, adapted str ...

s of various tissues (

mucosa A mucous membrane or mucosa is a membrane that lines various cavities in the body of an organism and covers the surface of internal organs. It consists of one or more layers of epithelial cells overlying a layer of loose connective tissue. It ...

, paracloacal glands,

cornea The cornea is the transparency (optics), transparent front part of the eyeball which covers the Iris (anatomy), iris, pupil, and Anterior chamber of eyeball, anterior chamber. Along with the anterior chamber and Lens (anatomy), lens, the cornea ...

musculature Skeletal muscle (commonly referred to as muscle) is one of the three types of vertebrate muscle tissue, the others being cardiac muscle and smooth muscle. They are part of the somatic nervous system, voluntary muscular system and typically are a ...

, swimbladder wall) and even

bone A bone is a rigid organ that constitutes part of the skeleton in most vertebrate animals. Bones protect the various other organs of the body, produce red and white blood cells, store minerals, provide structure and support for the body, ...

s of

fish A fish (: fish or fishes) is an aquatic animal, aquatic, Anamniotes, anamniotic, gill-bearing vertebrate animal with swimming fish fin, fins and craniate, a hard skull, but lacking limb (anatomy), limbs with digit (anatomy), digits. Fish can ...

es and

mammals A mammal () is a vertebrate animal of the class Mammalia (). Mammals are characterised by the presence of milk-producing mammary glands for feeding their young, a broad neocortex region of the brain, fur or hair, and three middle e ...

Classification

According to Moravec(2001) Moravec, František. Trichinelloid Nematodes parasitic in cold-blooded vertebrates. Academia, Praha () , the family Trichosomoididae Hall, 1916 Hall, M.C. 1916: Nematode parasites of mammals of the orders Rodentia, Lagomorpha and Hyracoidea. Proceedings of the U.S. National Museum, 50, 1–24
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includes * Subfamily Anatrichosomatinae Smith & Chitwood, 1954 ** Genus '' Anatrichosoma'' Smith & Chitwood, 1954 * Subfamily Huffmanelinae Moravec, 2001 (Tissue parasites of fishes) ** Genus '' Huffmanela'' Moravec, 1987 * Subfamily Trichosomoidinae Hall, 1916 ** Genus '' Trichosomoides'' Railliet, 1895 ** Genus '' Trichuroides'' Ricci, 1949

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q7840997 Trichocephalida