Help identifying round worm or nematode?

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Tloc
Posts: 2
Joined: Thu Jul 07, 2022 8:24 am

Help identifying round worm or nematode?

#1 Post by Tloc » Sat Jul 09, 2022 4:49 am

https://imgur.com/ZdaZmOv
https://imgur.com/ZC109qj
https://imgur.com/iD8P5uv
https://imgur.com/Xn3nunn

Shown at 100x. The worm had 6 bilaterally symmetrical folds with cilia which rapidly move water across the mouth. Obvious digestion tract, though no visible anus.

More than just finding out what this is called, I'm curious how I can go about learning how to identify animals like this myself. What traits can I look for (or look for the absence of) to narrow down the phylum or class?

karhukainen
Posts: 104
Joined: Sun May 03, 2020 3:44 pm

Re: Help identifying round worm or nematode?

#2 Post by karhukainen » Sun Jul 10, 2022 8:27 am

I've only just started scoping these things myself, but to me this guy looks like some kind of a bristle worm, not a nematode. It has segments and bristles.
Nikon Labophot

Tom Jones
Posts: 337
Joined: Wed Apr 13, 2016 3:47 pm

Re: Help identifying round worm or nematode?

#3 Post by Tom Jones » Sun Jul 10, 2022 3:56 pm

Probably Dero digitata (Ward and Whipple, Fresh Water Biology, 2nd. Ed., pgs 530-531, and https://worms.myspecies.info/taxonomy/term/936)

Edit: Nice images, too!

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