Fleuronema Greenslade & Nicholas, 1991

De Souza, João V. & Maria, Tatiana F., 2023, Taxonomic review of Thoracostomopsidae (Nematoda, Enoplida): state of the art, list of valid species and dichotomous keys, Zootaxa 5361 (4), pp. 463-496 : 476

Genus Fleuronema Greenslade & Nicholas, 1991

The genus Fleuronema was established by Greenslade & Nicholas (1991) with Fleuronema dorca Greenslade & Nicholas (1991) as the type species including the description of Fleuronema robusta Greenslade & Nicholas (1991) . The first species is clearly distinguished from the second by its slenderer mandibles. At that time, Fleuronema tridentatus ( Ssaweljev, 1912) Greenslade & Nicholas (1991) - previously described in Enoploides -, was also accommodated in this genus because the mandible was described as having a third apical tooth centrally, but Wieser & Hopper (1967) had already considered it as species inquirenda because it is based in the description of a single female. However, there is some discussion concerning of what genus this species belongs. Since there is not any figure available to check the buccal cavity morphology, male specimens are required to confirm the validity of the species.

Diagnosis from Smol et al. (2014): Large specimens. Cuticle thick and smooth. Head blunt but apically rounded, bulbous, with distinct external groove at base of head capsule. Lip flaps low and finely striated, lips low. Mandibles solid, anterior bar with central claw in addition to the two lateral claws, each with an apical lateral projection; ventrosublateral teeth large, blunt and slanting, reaching as far as the cephalic arch, dorsal tooth absent. Inner labial setae short and stout, outer labial and cephalic setae long and slightly clavate, with surface ornamented by meshwork, inserted just above base of head capsule. Posterior margin of head capsule indistinct. Pharynx long and cylindrical; cardia pyriform; nerve ring about one-third of pharynx length. Female gonad on left of intestine, outstretched. Spicules heavy and encircled by a distinct ridge that divides spicules in half; gubernaculum and precloacal supplement present. Three caudal glands with cell precaudally. Tail conical with rounded tip. Marine.

Number of valid species: 2

1. Fleuronema dorca Greenslade & Nicholas, 1991 (New South Wales, Australia)

2. Fleuronema robusta Greenslade & Nicholas, 1991 (New South Wales, Australia)

SPECIES INQUIRENDA

1. Fleuronema tridentatus ( Ssaweljev, 1912) Greenslade & Nicholas, 1991 (Murmansk, Russia)— type species

Syn. Enoploides tridentatus Ssaweljev, 1912