Table 3. Key morphological trait comparison among all valid species of the genus Choanolaimus de Man, 1880. Abbreviations: cbd = corresponding body diameter; ND = no data; PC = pore complex.
C. psammophilus de Man, 1880 C. serieporus sp. nov. C. sparsiporus sp. nov.
Reference de Man 1880 Loof 1961 ** Chitwood 1960 Riemann 1966 Platt & Warwick 1988 Bussau 1990 Present study Present study
Habitat & location Sand dunes; Holland Sand dunes; Holland Beach spermatophytes; California Coastal (high water line); Germany Coastal subsoil; New Hebrides Dunes; Germany and Denmark coast Continental slope; New Zealand Continental slope; New Zealand
Body length (µm) 1700-2000 1270–1360 1600 1600–2120 1300–2400 1260–1310 1321–1688 1272
a 25 20–22 29 22 16–19 15 17–18 24
b 7 6–7 7 7 ND 6–7 11 8
c 35–50 33–38 39 43 ND 27–28 32–38 27
Inner labial sensilla Papilliform? Papilliform Papilliform on lobes Papilliform on lobes Flap-like Papilliform on lobes* Papilliform Papilliform
Amphideal fovea width (% cbd) ND 27* 27* 23 30 23* 51–56 56
Amphideal fovea t urns ND 2* 2½* 4–5
Pharynx length ND ND ND 245 ND ND 125–155 158
Posterior pharynx ND Swollen posteriorly Cylindrical Slightly swollen posteriorly Cylindrical ND Bulb present Bulb present
PC arrangement*** ND ND ND Dorsosublateral and ventrosublateral; regularly-spaced* Dorsosublateral and ventrosublateral; regularly-spaced* Dorsosublateral and ventrosublateral; regularly-spaced* Dorsosublateral; two or three groups of 8–11 PC Dorsosublateral; sparsely distributed
Ratio of spicule length to body diameter at level of cloacal opening ND 0.9* 0.7* 0.7 1.0 0.8* 1.2–1.6 1.5
Number of precloacal supplements ND 7 7 6 6–7 ND 3–4 2