Abstract
The body wall fine structure including the cuticle, hypodermis, and somatic muscles is similar in males of Meloidogyne incognita and Heterodera glycines. The cuticle can be regarded as basically three-layered in both species, but is much thicker in M. incognita than in H. glycines, and differences occur in surface markings. The chordal and interchordal hypodermis is syncytial. Hypodermal tissue pervades the lip region, and lines the stomatal cavity and stylet shaft. Various organelles and structures, some previously undescribed, are concentrated in the chords. Their possible role in lipid metabolism is considered, as well as the probable function of the hypodermis in fornlation of the cephalic framework and stylet. The interchordal hypodermis which encloses peripheral nerves, is periodically transversed by bundles of fibrils which are homologous with the subcuticular striation previously observed in the light microscope. The somatic musculature is meromyarian, and the muscle cells are of the platymyarian type with I, A, and H bands, but without Z bands or T tubules. Thin dense bands are present in the H bands, and appear to be associated with sarcoplasmic reticulum.
Keywords: cuticle, hypodermis, somatic musculature, root-knot nematode, cyst nematode
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