Dracoderes Higgins & Shirayama, 1990

Yamasaki, Hiroshi, 2015, Two new species of Dracoderes (Kinorhyncha: Dracoderidae) from the Ryukyu Islands, Japan, with a molecular phylogeny of the genus, Zootaxa 3980 (3), pp. 359-378 : 363

Genus Dracoderes Higgins & Shirayama, 1990

Emended diagnosis for Dracoderes . Mouth cone with nine outer oral styles, alternating in size between larger and smaller. Neck with nine placids; dorsal and midlateral placids well spaced, interrupted by cuticular folding. Trunk segment 1 composed of closed cuticular ring; segments 2–11 with one tergal and two sternal plates. Dorsal spines at least on segments 3–9; anteriormost spine middorsal; spines on following segments, except for most posterior segment, laterally displaced alternately left or right in paradorsal positions; spine on most posterior segment middorsal or paradorsal. Lateroventral spines/tubules on at least segments 6–9. Segment 11 with lateral terminal spines. Females lack lateral terminal accessory spines; males with 3 pairs of penile spines.