Spirinia Gerlach, 1963

Silva, Maria Cristina Da, Castro, Francisco José Victor De, Cavalcanti, Mariana Da Fonseca & Fonsêca-Genevois, Verônica Da, 2009, Spirinia lara sp. n. and Spirinia sophia sp. n. (Nematoda, Desmodoridae) from the Brazilian continental margin (Campos Basin, Rio de Janeiro), Zootaxa 2081, pp. 31-45 : 33-34

Genus Spirinia Gerlach, 1963

Spirinia belongs to the subfamily Spiriniinae , which includes genera such as: Alaimonema , Chromaspirina , Metachromadora , Onyx, Papillonema, Parallelocoilas , Perspiria , Polysigma Pseudometachromadora and Sigmophoranema . The subfamily is characterised by a head not offset as a distinct cephalic capsule, cuticle only finely striated and amphids surrounded by cuticular striations.

The genus Spirinia is distinguished from other members of the subfamily Spiriniinae in having a single dorsal tooth, minute teeth or no teeth, and precloacal supplements absent (rarely present). The differentiation of species within Spirinia is mainly by size and position of amphidial fovea, number and arrangement of cephalic setae, length and distribution of somatic setae, tail shape, and shape of spicules in male ( Platt & Warwick, 1988).

Perspiria Vincx & Gourbault 1989 is a genus very close to Spirinia . Perspiria differs from Spirinia in having cuticular striations partly surrounding the amphideal fovea; pyriform terminal pharyngeal bulb mostly present; preanal supplements pore-like or tubiform and a filiform tail prominently striated.

Emended Genus Diagnosis. Cuticle with fine (faint) transverse striae, somatic setae arranged in eight longitudinal rows, may be restricted to neck region. Numerous epidermal cells may be associated with somatic papillae. Cephalic setae at level of amphids. Amphids surrounded by transverse cuticular striae, with outline circular, a simple spiral or loop-shaped. Buccal cavity very small and narrow, may be provided with a dorsal tooth or minute ventrosublateral teeth. Pharynx with short, round terminal bulb. Ventral gland present or absent. Spicules with prominent capitulum and velum. Precloacal supplements present or absent. Tail conical or conico-cylindrical.