Redescription of the free‐living marine nematode species, draconema japonicum kito, 1976 (nematoda: Draconematidae), by scanning electron microscopy

Numerous specimens of adults and juveniles of Draconema japonicum Kito, 1976 have been found in intertidal and subtidal sediments and various algae around coast of South Korea. Draconema japonicum is recognized by the following characteristics: having an elongated loop‐shaped amphideal fovea in male and horseshoe‐shaped amphideal fovea in female, two pairs of uniformly tapered sublateral anal setae and two pairs of unevenly tapered subventral anal setae in male, eight to ten pairs in male and 13 to 15 pairs in female of posterior sublateral adhesion tubes, and five to six pairs of somatic setae on non‐striated tail region. Scanning electron photomicrographs of the species are presented with a detailed morphological description and a key to the species of the genus Draconema Cobb, 1913. This is the first discovery of D. japonicum outside the Japanese waters.