Nematodes are the most abundant animal group on earth. Many species live non-parasitically in marine sediments and terrestrial soils. The use of nematode assemblages has now become an important part of environmental risk assessment. This increased use and interest in free-living nematodes has meant that there is a need to make available a survey and review of the systematics of free-living nematodes to a wider audience.
By publishing this translation and update of Prof. Lorenzen's original work, one of the most comprehensive reviews of the systematics of free-living nematodes has been made available by The Ray Society. It is now readily accessible to a much wider range of workers, both those specialising in nematodes and also to the increasing number of workers whose studies require them to be involved with this ubiquitous group of animals. This work will also be of interest to workers involved with the theory and practice of phylogenetics.