Mesodorylaimus simplex
Thorne, 1974
Photo Gallery- Konza Prairie

Measurements (from Thorne, 1974)
L = 1.5 mm; a = 32; b = 5.0; c = 16; V = 49

Description (from Thorne, 1974)
    Body cylindroid, tapering at extremities.  Lateral field 1/5 body width.  Lip region slightly angular, papillae easily seen.  Spear 13-15 um long with aperture occupying about 1/3 its length.  Esophagus enlarged in posterior 3/7 by rather abrupt expansion.  Cardia elongate conoid.  Microvilli present.  Intestinal cells packed with coarse, refractive brown granules.  Rectum length about twice anal body diameter.  Prerectum 1 1/2 times length of rectum.  A peculiar valve-like organ occasionally observed extending forward into the intestine from its junction with prerectum, as first recorded by Thorne and Swanger, 1936.  Vulva longitudinal.  Ovaries reflexed halfway to vulva, usually crowded by eggs twice as long as body width and by uterine spermatheca as long as eggs, packed with sperms.  Tails concave-spicate.  Male not collected.
Mesodorylaimus simplex is distinctive because of longitudinal vulva, presence of microvilli and tail form.
Habitat: Oat field near Lake Preston, South Dakota.

DNA Sequences Obtained
Specimen: Collected:
KonzaII BD-69 Konza Prairie, First Survey