MORPHOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS AND ECOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF NEMATODES OF THE GENUS CEPHALOBUS IN THE RHIZOSPHERE OF DOG ROSE

Bacterivorous nematodes found in the rhizosphere of dog rose (Rosa canina L.) constitute an important component of the soil food web. This article examines the morphological diagnosis of representatives of the genus Cephalobus, their ecological role in the rhizosphere environment, and their significance in phytosanitary interpretation. Existing faunistic records of nematodes associated with medicinal plants in the Surkhandarya region provided a basis for describing the occurrence of Cephalobus persegnis. The analysis compared the diagnostic features of the oral apparatus, esophagus, reproductive structures, and tail region, as well as anatomical characteristics that determine feeding habits. The results indicate that distinguishing bacterivorous nematodes from parasites that damage root tissues helps clarify the biological interpretation of faunistic inventories. The presence of this genus does not independently prove that a plant is diseased; rather, it is assessed as an ecological indicator associated with microbiological processes in the rhizosphere.