Trophomera Rubtzov & Platonova, 1974

Miljutin, Dmitry M. & Miljutina, Maria A., 2009, Description of Bathynema nodinauti gen. n., sp. n. and four new Trophomera species (Nematoda: Benthimermithidae) from the Clarion-Clipperton Fracture Zone (Eastern Tropic Pacific), supplemented with the keys to genera and species *, Zootaxa 2096 (1), pp. 173-196 : 175

Trophomera Rubtzov & Platonova, 1974

Diagnosis: Benthimermithidae . Body cylindrical. Cuticle possessing fine striation visible in light microscope. Mouth opening absent. Four mediolateral head sensilla being papilloid. Amphidial fovea non-spiral, amphidial aperture pore-like. Pharynx possessing axial, internal lumen along most of its length. Cardia absent. Intestine being a trophosome devoid of an internal lumen. Male reproductive system diorchic, with two outstretched testes arranged consecutively in tandem and connected by joint spermaduct, a vas deferens, and paired spicules without gubernaculum. Caudal glands absent.

Etymology: From “bathyal” (deep sea) and “nema” (= Nematoda).

Generotype: Bathynema nodinauti sp. n.

Differential diagnosis: Bathynema gen. n. differs from other genera of family Benthimermithidae , Trophomera Rubtzov & Platonova, 1974 and Adenodelphis Petter, 1983 ( Petter 1983a) by the presence of an internal pharyngeal lumen. Males of Bathynema gen. n. possess clearly curved spicules whereas spicules are hardly curved in all known males of the Trophomera genus (males unknown in Adenodelphis genus).