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Qudsia Tahseen

  • Biodiversity Journal, 3 (1): 013-040

    Qudsia Tahseen
    Nematodes in aquatic environments: adaptations and survival strategies

    ABSTRACT
    Nematodes are found in all substrata and sediment types with fairly large number of species that are of considerable ecological importance. Despite their simple body organization, they are the most complex forms with many metabolic and developmental processes comparable to higher taxa. Phylum Nematoda represents a diverse array of taxa present in subterranean environment. It is due to the formative constraints to which these individuals are exposed in the interstitial system of medium and coarse sediments that they show pertinent characteristic features to survive successfully in aquatic environments. They represent great degree of morphological adaptations including those associated with cuticle, sensilla, pseudocoelomic inclusions, stoma, pharynx and tail. Their life cycles as well as development seem to be entrained to the environment type. Besides exhibiting feeding adaptations according to the substrata and sediment type and the kind of food available, the aquatic nematodes tend to withstand various stresses by undergoing cryobiosis, osmobiosis, anoxybiosis as well as thiobiosis involving sulphide detoxification mechanism.