Members of this class' bodies usually have annules, their
amphids elaborate and spiral, and they all have three
esophageal glands. They usually live in marine sediments, although they can live elsewhere. They have a more sophisticated
pharynx than most roundworms. Members of this class can be identified by the presence of eight
conserved signature indels (CSIs) exclusively shared by the class. These molecular markers are found in essential proteins such as
tRNA (guanine-N(1))-methyltransferase and can serve as a reliable molecular method of distinguishing the Chromadorea from other classes within the phylum Nematoda. ==Orders==