A New Free-Living Marine Nematode, Chaetonema longicorpus sp. nov. (Enoplida: Anoplostomatidae) from a Subtidal Zone of the East Sea, Korea

Abstract

A new free-living marine nematode, Chaetonema longicorpus sp. nov., was discovered in a subtidal benthic habitat around the Uljin nuclear power plant in the East Sea. Chaetonema longicorpus sp. nov. differs from other Chaetonema species in its very long body length, relatively long cephalic setae, long and narrow buccal cavity, bottle-shaped amphideal fovea, short spicules, only one pre-cloacal seta instead of a pre-cloacal supplement, and conspicuous ventral swelling at the middle of the tail. Herein, we provide a taxonomic description and illustrations of this new species using differential interference contrast microscopy. Furthermore, an illustrated pictorial key to all valid species, including the new species and comparative tables on the biogeographical and morphological characteristics of the genus Chaetonema, are provided.