A new free-living marine nematode species of the genus Phanoderma Bastian, 1865 (Enoplida: Phanodermatidae) from the East Sea, Korea

Abstract

A new species of free-living marine nematode is described from intertidal sediments of the East Sea, Korea. Phanoderma koreense sp. nov. is characterized by the presence of well-developed pharyngeal and cephalic capsule, six inner labial sensilla present as minute papillae around with circular groove, long and slender spicules with 4-5 serrated distal end, located at the base of the precloacal supplement, a series of eight to nine stout and short setae on the ventral cloacal region and conico-cylindrical tail with two pairs of blunt setae. In this study, we provide taxonomic descriptions and illustrations of a new species by differential interference contrast microscope and a pictorial key to the valid species of Phanoderma Bastian, 1865. This is the first record of the genus Phanoderma in the East Sea, Korea.