FAQ
From Wikionchus
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What is a nematode?
Nematodes, commonly also called roundworms, are found in virtually every habitat one can imagine. Some are free-living, others live as parasites. While most of the free-living forms are hardly bigger than a few millimeters, some parasites can reach quite impressive sizes; one species, which lives in a whale, can grow up to 8 meters.
Some morphological characteristics of the nematodes:
- Triploblastic (i.e. three germ layers, called ecto-meso-and endoderm)
- no visible segmentation ( in contrast for example to the annelids)
- Usually several cuticle sheddings during larval growth
- Body wall with longitudinal muscles
- Unique excretory system out of only one or two renette cells
Why are you working with Pristionchus pacificus and not with the model organism Caenorhabditis elegans?
We want to learn how development, i.e. the process during which a fertilized egg is tranformed into an adult organism, can be altered during the course of evolution. In C. elegans, many aspects of development are understood in detail at the cellular and the genetic level. However, C. elegans represents only one out of nearly 25.000 described nematode species, all of them with their own evolutionary history. By investigating P. pacificus development we want to contribute to a deeper understanding of how the diversity seen at the morphological level is linked to changes in developmental processes.
What is the life cycle of Pristionchus pacificus?
The life cycle of the species Pristionchus pacificus is quite short. At 20°C ist takes only about 72 hours to grow from an egg to an egg laying hermaphrodite. Pristionchus pacificus is as mentioned before a hermaphroditic species. That means a single hermaphrodite can reproduce without having another sex partner. There are, however, spontanous occuring males, so-called residual males.
Can nematodes be eaten?
In principle yes although we strongly advise you to refrain from such a meal. It is more likely that Pristionchus feeds on YOU after you die.
Can Pristionchus pacificus live as an endoparasite in humans?
Not that we know of. ITCH ITCH
