Odontophora Bütschli, 1874

Ansari, Kapuli Gani Mohamed Thameemul, Lyla, Somasundharanair & Khan, Seyd Ajmal, 2018, New distributional records of free-living marine Nematodes from Indian waters IV. Linhomids and Axanolaimids, Records of the Zoological Survey of India 118 (4) : -

Genus Odontophora Bütschli, 1874

9. Species Odontophora setosa (Allgen, 1929)

Synonym: Trigonolaimus setosus Allgen, 1929

: Conolaimus setosus Allgen, 1931

: Conolaimus longisetosus Stekhoven, 1931

: Axonolaimus elegans Schulz, 1932

Material examined: 5 males and 1 female collected from Chennai 30-50m 101-150m depths (17.12.2008).

de Man ratio: a b c

Male: 44.98±0.67 9.75±0.12 11.62±0.29 (44.78-45.22) (9.58-9.87) (11.22-11.89)

Female: 46.12 10.02 11.98

Description: Body length 2.7-3.2mm in male and 2.9mm in female. Maximum diameter 65-84µm in male and 93µm in female. Cuticle striations begin just posterior to the cephalic setae. Six cephalic papillae. Four cephalic setae (14-18µm). Four subcephalic setae (8-9µm) just behind the cephalic setae. Cervical setae (4-8µm) in four longitudinal rows, somatic setae scarce apart from the tail. Loop-shaped amphids (6-9µm in diameter). Buccal cavity (38-42µm) long. Oesophagus elongated (640-682µm in male and 642µm in female) without posterior bulb. Tail conical (3.2-3.9a.b.d. in male 3.6a.b.d. in female) with three long terminal setae. Spicules 61-67µm. Gubernaculum with two 10-12µm long dorsal apophysis. 15-19 indistinct precloacal supplements in the form of simple pits in the cuticle. Two ovaries. Vulva present at 50-54% of body length ( Figure 9 ).

Feeding type: The specimens showed large buccal cavity that is not armed with teeth.According to the classification of buccal cavity by Wieser (1953), this species is a nonselective deposit feeder (1B).

Habitat: Sandy and silty sediments.

Distribution India: Chennai. Elsewhere: Portugal, Helgoland, Iceland and Biscay ( Hansson, 1998); England ( Warwick et al., 1998); European waters ( De Smet et al., 2001); North Sea ( Gerlach and Riemann, 1974); Norway, Kieler Buchat, Skagerrak, Oresund, Zuidersee, Kattegatt and Mediterranean ( Hansson, 1998).

Remarks: The specimens examined conformed well to the earlier description of Warwick et al. (1998) except for the longer body size. The total body length described was 2.1-

2.9mm and tail length 3.1-3.9a.b.d. The body length of the specimen studied at present was found longer being

2.7-3.2mm and the tail length 3.2-3.9a.b.d. in male and in female 2.9mm body length and tail length 3.6a.b.d. This is the first record of the species from the Indian waters.

Figures

Figure 9. Odontophora setosa (Allgen, 1929) a) entire male b) male head, c) entire female, d) female head, e) male tail, f) female tail.