Morphological Characteristics of Nematodes

Ø  Elongated, cylindrical, unsegmented body with tapering/rounded extremities except, Tetrameres (spherical), Trichuris (whip like)

Ø  1mm to several metre in size

Ø  Body surface is the thin transparent colorless cuticle consists of inelastic collagen fibres that maintain the constant diameter of the nematode.

Ø  There is relatively a large body cavity (pseudocoelom lined by pseudocoelomic membrane) filled with fluid conferring turgidity to the worm. The fluid in the body cavity is maintained under high pressure. This is why Nematodes often burst after collection.

Ø  The female tail generally ends in a blunt point and the male usually have two chitinous rods (Spicule/penis/intromittent organ) that can be protruded from the cloaca and are used for identification of male and female.

                                i.            The Bursa

                              ii.            The Alae

                            iii.            The Vesicles