Tricoma (<em>Tricoma</em>) disparseta sp. nov. (Nematoda: Desmoscolecidae), a New Free-Living Marine Nematode from a Seamount in the Northwest Pacific Ocean, with a New Record of <em>T. (T.) longirostris</em> (Southern, 1914)

• DOI: 10.20944/preprints202409.1916.v1
• Publication Date: 2024-09-27T01:04:10Z
• Authors: Hyo Jin Lee; Heegab Lee; Ji-Hoon Kihm; Hyun Soo Rho
• Keywords: Seamount

During a survey of marine biodiversity in the deep-sea off northeastern Guam, two desmoscolecid nematodes belonging to subgenus Tricoma were discovered. (Tricoma) disparseta sp. nov. was described based on specimens collected from sponge and starfish habitats seamount at depths ranging 1300 1500 meters. T. (T.) is distinguished by having 59 62 main rings, 9 10 subdorsal setae, 14 18 subventral setae each side. Notable features include differentiation length insertion between curved, hooked gubernaculum. The specimen longirostris observed this study closely resembles previously reported specimens, characterized 78 long narrow head shape, 8 15 gubernaculum with knobbed apophysis. morphological characteristics detailed illustrations species Northwest Pacific Ocean documented using differential interference contrast microscopy (DIC) scanning electron (SEM). Furthermore, pictorial keys comparative tables are presented for exhibiting 50 64 aiding their identification differentiation.