Two New Species of Tricoma Cobb, 1894 (Nematoda: Desmoscolecidae) from the Continental Shelf of Bay of Bengal, India (Indian EEZ)

Two new free-living marine nematode species belonging to the genus Tricoma Cobb, 1894 (Desmoscolecidae) are identified from the continental shelf region of the Bay of Bengal. Tricoma ajmalia sp. nov. is characterized by the number of main rings (84 male and 85 female), the arrangement of somatic setae, the head shape with broadly truncated end, the relatively long cephalic setae (69%–73% of corresponding head diameter), the amphids extending up to second main ring, slender spicules slightly curved and guberbaculum with dorsocaudally directed apophyses. The second new species, Tricoma sampadansis sp. nov. is characterized by the number of rings (64), the arrangement of somatic setae (14–13 subdorsal, 16 subvenral), the head shape with broadly truncated end, the relatively long cephalic setae (75% corresponding head diameter), the amphidial fovea extending over first main ring, anterioirly bent spicules and gubernaculum with hooked proximal end. An updated valid species list of Tricoma is also presented.