The Aphelenchina: Bud, Leaf, and Insect Nematodes

The members of the nematode suborder Aphelenchina Geraert, 1966 have a worldwide distribution and have adapted to a wide range of ecological niches including, plant parasitism, insect parasitism, fungus feeding, and even predation on other nematodes. In contrast to the root feeding found in the Tylenchina, most of the Aphelenchina have evolved, perhaps because of the organization of the esophageal glands, to colonize leaves, buds, stems, tree trunks, and insects. Bearing in mind their observations, retained the Aphelenchina at suborder level, as proposed by Geraert. At present the Aphelenchina contains five families and 32 genera. The members of the nematode suborder Aphelenchina Geraert, 1966 have a worldwide distribution and have adapted to a wide range of ecological niches including, plant parasitism, insect parasitism, fungus feeding, and even predation on other nematodes. Dorsal esophageal gland emptying into lumen of esophagus within the large, easily seen median muscular bulb, anterior to the crescentic valve plates.