MARINE NEMATODES OF THE FAMILY DRACONEMATIDAE (NEMATA) - A SYNTHESIS WITH PHYLOGENETIC-RELATIONSHIPS

The family Draconematidae is reviewed. Diagnoses of all taxa are updat ed or emended, based upon an evaluation of diagnostic features. A phyl ogenetic analysis at the genus level based on parsimony suggested that Tenuidraconema belongs to the Draconematinae. A new genus Bathychaeto soma is erected to accomodate B. uchidai (Kito, 1983). It is character ized by a cephalic region with a smooth, non-thickened cuticle and num erous cephalic adhesion tubes located posterior to the head region and extending over more than two head diameters along the cervical region .