Photo Gallery-Homestead Prairie |
Description (from Thorne, 1974)
Body slightly arcuate with lip region 1/4 width of neck base.
Lateral field a single line of cells 1/5 body width. Numerous ventral
pores present. Cuticle near head very thick as far back as opposite
spear base. Lip
region set off by constriction. The lips angular with conspicuous
papillae. Spear
about 24 um long with aperture occupying half its length. Guiding
ring a muscular collar about 1/3 head width. Esophagus
enlarged near middle by a gradual expansion. Dorsal esophageal gland
nucleus about two body widths posterior to expansion, the remaining nuclei
not visible in the massive musculature. Cardia
discoid,
then conoid, frequently a small gland associated with it. A hyaline
glandular body often crowding anterior end of intestine. Intestinal
cells packed with fine, dark brown granules. Prerectum length
two to three times body width. Rectum
slightly
longer than tail. In some specimens prerectum appears to extend into
tail cavity. Vulva
transverse
with sclerotized labia of typical form. Ovaries reflexed 3/4 distance
back to vulva. Eggs 3 times as long as body width. Tail
bluntly conoid to rounded terminus.
Aporcelaimellus conoidus is immediately distinguished
by its size, relatively short portion of cuticle thickened near head, length
of spear aperture and regular form of tail core. Males unknown.
Habitat: Generally distributed throughout
the Northern Great Plains in both cultivated and virgin soils.
DNA Sequences Obtained
Specimen: | Collected: |
KonzaIV AA-15 | Konza Prairie, First survey |