In general, members of subclass Dorylaimia exhibit a great diversity of terrestrial and freshwater species, most of which are large predators or omnivorous free-living species.

Dorylaimia bear an odontostyle, a protrusible, hollow, needlelike tooth for puncturing and emptying food items.

Phylogenetic analysis of phylum Nematoda suggests three distinct basal clades, the dorylaims, enoplids, and chromadorids.

Nevertheless, the possibility remains that Dorylaimia will eventually be shown to be a distinct third class of nematodes.

[3] Phylogenetic analysis has resulted in a reorganization, with, for instance, moving the Triplonchida to subclass Enoplia.