First report of five free-living nematode species (Nematoda: Rhabditida) from Korea

Five free-living nematode species belonging to the order of Rhabditida are described for the first time in Korea. Two unrecorded species of Rhabditidae, Cruznema tripartitum (Linston, 1906) Zullini, 1982, and Poikilolaimus oxycerca de Man, 1895, and one species of Peloderidae, Pelodera strongyloides Schneider, 1860, were collected in Korea. C. tripartitum has nine pairs of genital papillae arranged in 2+2+1+4 differently from similar species of C. scarabaeum which has ten genital papillae arranged in 2+1+4+3. Poikilolaimus oxycerca has shorter tail (shorter than anal body diameter) compared to similar species of P. regenfussi which has longer tail (longer than anal body diameter). Pelodera strongyloides has shorter tail (1-1.5 times anal body diameters long) than P. punctata (4 anal body diameters long). Two unrecorded species of Panagrolaimidae, Panagrolaimus apicatus Schuurmans Stekhoven & Teunissen, 1938 and Panagrolaimus rigidus (Schneider, 1866) Thorne, 1937 were collected in Korea. P. apicatus has rounded and lower lip compared to similar species, P. margaretae Massey, 1964 which has finely pointed lip. P. rigidus has slender tail and lips rounded and flat barely separated when compared to similar species, P. subelongatus (Cobb, 1914) Thorne, 1937 which has plumper tail and lips are well separated. KCI Citation Count: 0