Enoplia

The Enoplia are a subclass of nematodes in the class Enoplea.

Description
Enoplians are characterized by amphids shaped like ovals, stirrups, or pouches. Their bodies are smooth, without rings or lines. The esophagus is cylindrical and glandular.

Taxonomy
Lorenzen described two orders, Enoplida and Trefusiida, in the 1980s based on morphology. With the advent of phylogenetic analysis, a reorganisation has been necessary, moving the Triplonchida here to create three orders and expanding it.

The orders are distinguished mainly by habitat type.


 * Enoplida Filipjev, 1929 – nematodes of marine and brackish water habitat, carnivorous or feed on diatoms and other algaes
 * Triplonchida Cobb, 1920 – terrestrial nematodes, including some plant parasites
 * Trefusiida Lorenzen, 1981

Phylogeny
Enoplia is regarded as the earliest nematode branch, according to recent phylogenetic analysis. Enoplia is mentioned as a sister clade to Dorylaima and Chromadoria.