Two new records of free-living marine nematodes of the family Ironidae de Man, 1876 (Nematoda: Enoplida) from Korea

Abstract

Two new records of marine nematodes, belonging to the family Ironidae de Man, 1876, are reported based on the specimens collected from intertidal sediments from the west coast of Korea. Conilia sinensis is characterized by a relatively long body length, a well-developed buccal cavity with three claw-like teeth, the presence of a single spicule with transverse striations, the presence of rib-shaped telamons, and single precloacal supplement. Pheronous donghaiensis is distinguished from other species of the genus by a well-developed buccal cavity with four claw-like solid teeth and minute denticles, relatively short and thick spicules with the central septum, the presence of 8-9 curved tubular-shaped precloacal supplements, and a sharp pointed tail with three small tubular supplements arranged into two rows in males. In this report, we provide a taxonomic description and illustrations of two unrecorded species of the family Ironidae by differential interference contrast microscopy. This is the first taxonomic report on the species of the family Ironidae from Korea.