A comparative study of the movement of some microphagous, plant-parasitic and animal-parasitic nematodes

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Abstract
Ciné film and direct observation showed that microphagous, plant and animal nematodes have the same basic wave pattern when moving. Their speed is linearly related to the product of their length and wave frequency during unrestricted movement in deep water. The speed, wave pattern and frequency of the plant nematode Ditylenchus dipsaci and the animal nematode Trichostrongylus colubriformis changed in a similar way in response to changes in water film thickness on the surface of agar of different concentrations. T. colubriformis like D. dipsaci were most mobile in a sand-water medium at a suction corresponding to the stage when most of the water has drained from the pores. The optimum temperature for activity of T. colubriformis and D. dipsaci was about 20° C. and both survived desiccation at 50% relative humidity and 24° C. for 32 days. T. colubriformis was attracted to and aggregated around grass roots (Phleum pratense). The results suggest that the free-living stages of microphagous, plant parasitic and animal parasitic nematodes move similarly and that nematodes can be divided arbitrarily into three groups: (1) those active enough to swim in deep water; (2) those able to swim in thick water films, escape from the soil and ascend plants above ground level; and (3) those too inactive to swim, the crawlers, which are largely confined to the soil. The habitat of free-living stages of nematodes, irrespective of their host or feeding habits, is probably related to their propulsive power.We thank Dr D. Poynter for supplying the animal parasites used.