Diagnosis (emended from Hopper 1967; Jensen 1979; Barnes et al. 2012; Fonseca & Bezerra 2014; Rosli et al. 2014)
Sabatieriinae. Cuticle finely striated. Punctations in cuticle present or absent. Outer labial setae situated just anteriorly to cephalic setae; cephalic setae usually twice length of outer labial setae. Buccal cavity minute, three tiny teeth may be present, lumen of anterior-most part of the pharynx usually distinctly cuticularised. Amphideal fovea commonly situated just behind the cephalic setae (<1 hd), with less than 4 spiral turns. Spicule arcuate, enlarged proximally and cuticularised, usually 1–2 anal body diameters in length. Gubernacular apophyses paired, usually directed dorso-caudally. Precloacal supplements present as minute papillae or absent. Tail conicocylindrical, posterior portion elongated, cylindrical.
Type species: Laimella longicauda Cobb, 1920
The genus Laimella was reviewed by Jensen (1979). An emended generic diagnosis of Laimella is provided by Barnes et al. (2012), Fonseca & Bezerra (2014) and Rosli et al. (2014). According to NeMys (Vanaverbeke et al. 2016), eleven Laimella species have been described to date.
1. Laimella annae Chen & Vincx, 2000
(Chen & Vincx, 2000: 40–44, Fig. 6 a–h; two males and two females; Strait of Magellan, 195 m, muddy sand).
2. Laimella ferreroi Barnes, Kim & Lee 2012
[Barnes et al. 2012: 268–270, Fig. 1 a–e; description made on the base of one male, Ieo Island (Socotra Rock), Korea, 51 m deep, mud].
3. Laimella filicaudata Ward, 1974
[Ward 1974: 94–95, Fig. 2; two males, one female and two juveniles, Great Britain, Liverpool Bay, 32–35 m deep, muddy sand and muddy sand with gravel). Jensen (1979) considered L. filicaudata Ward, 1974 to be synonymous with L. longicauda Cobb, 1920 since the differences between L. longicauda and L. filicaudata were so minute that they probably reflected intraspecific variation of L. longicauda. However, Barnes et al. (2012) regarded the differences between L. longicauda and L. filicaudata as well defined and reinstated the latter species as valid].
4. Laimella filipjevi Jensen, 1979
[Filipjev 1922: 179–180, Fig. 36 a–b, as Sabatieria longicaudata (subjective homonym to Laimella longicauda Cobb, 1920, opinion of Jensen, 1979: 94); one male and one female, Black Sea, sublittoral silt. (Jensen 1979: 94–97, Fig. 6 a–d; 20 males, 18 females and 12 juveniles, Northern Øresund (Baltic Sea), Denmark, 27–28 m deep, silty sand and fine sand, Haploop s and Amphiura filiformis community. Tchesunov 2000: 48–49, Fig. 5–6; six males and one female, White Sea, Kandalaksha Bay, 15 m deep, silty sand. Present paper: Fig. 5–7; seven males and five females, southern part of East Sea, 100 m deep, clay)].
5. Laimella longicauda Cobb, 1920
(Cobb 1920: 261 Fig. 44, no mention of number of specimens, Key West and Biscayne Bay, Florida, algae and mud. Hopper 1967: 140–142, Fig. 1–7, no mention on number of specimens, Biscayne Bay, Florida, soft surface sediment within a bed of turtle grass. Chen & Vincx 2000: 42– 44, Fig. 7 a–e; two males and two females Beagle Channel and Strait of Magellan, 79–110 m deep, silty sand and mud).
6. Laimella minuta Vitiello, 1970
(Vitiello 1970: 451–453, Fig. 2 a–c; description made on the base of one male, Gulf of Lion, Mediterranean Sea, 370 m deep, mud).
7. Laimella sandrae Chen & Vincx, 2000
(Chen & Vincx 2000: 44–46, Fig. 8 a–g; one male and two females, Beagle Channel and Strait of Magellan, 255–550 m deep, mud).
8. Laimella socotris Barnes, Kim & Lee 2012
Barnes et al. 2012: 270–272, Fig. 2 a–f; description made on the base of one male, Ieo Island (Socotra Rock), Korea, 51 m deep, mud].
9. Laimella subterminata Chen & Vincx, 2000
(Chen & Vincx 2000: 46–48, Fig. 7 a–e; one male and two females, Beagle Channel and Strait of Magellan, 255–550 m deep, mud. Rosli et al. 2014: 519–523, Fig. 8 a–d, 9 a–b, 10 a–c; one male and one female, Southern Hikurangi, Canyon axis, New Zealand, 670–1350 m deep, mud).
10. Laimella tongyeongensis Barnes, Kim & Lee 2012
(Barnes et al. 2012: 273–276, Fig. 3 a–d, 4 a–h; three males, one female and three juveniles, Tongyeong Bay, Korea, 49 m deep, mud).
11. Laimella vera Vitiello, 1971
(Vitiello 1971: 865–866, Fig. 4 a–d; three males and one juveniles, Rhone mouth, France, 70–80 m deep, mud. Gourbault, 1980: 743–744, Fig. 3 a–e; three males, two females and one juvenile, South-east Atlantic Ocean, the Angola Basin, 3615 m deep).
1. Laimella annae Chen & Vincx, 2000
(Chen & Vincx, 2000: 40–44, Fig. 6 a–h; two males and two females; Strait of Magellan, 195 m, muddy sand).
2. Laimella ferreroi Barnes, Kim & Lee 2012
[Barnes et al. 2012: 268–270, Fig. 1 a–e; description made on the base of one male, Ieo Island (Socotra Rock), Korea, 51 m deep, mud].
3. Laimella filicaudata Ward, 1974
[Ward 1974: 94–95, Fig. 2; two males, one female and two juveniles, Great Britain, Liverpool Bay, 32–35 m deep, muddy sand and muddy sand with gravel). Jensen (1979) considered L. filicaudata Ward, 1974 to be synonymous with L. longicauda Cobb, 1920 since the differences between L. longicauda and L. filicaudata were so minute that they probably reflected intraspecific variation of L. longicauda. However, Barnes et al. (2012) regarded the differences between L. longicauda and L. filicaudata as well defined and reinstated the latter species as valid].
4. Laimella filipjevi Jensen, 1979
[Filipjev 1922: 179–180, Fig. 36 a–b, as Sabatieria longicaudata (subjective homonym to Laimella longicauda Cobb, 1920, opinion of Jensen, 1979: 94); one male and one female, Black Sea, sublittoral silt. (Jensen 1979: 94–97, Fig. 6 a–d; 20 males, 18 females and 12 juveniles, Northern Øresund (Baltic Sea), Denmark, 27–28 m deep, silty sand and fine sand, Haploop s and Amphiura filiformis community. Tchesunov 2000: 48–49, Fig. 5–6; six males and one female, White Sea, Kandalaksha Bay, 15 m deep, silty sand. Present paper: Fig. 5–7; seven males and five females, southern part of East Sea, 100 m deep, clay)].
5. Laimella longicauda Cobb, 1920
(Cobb 1920: 261 Fig. 44, no mention of number of specimens, Key West and Biscayne Bay, Florida, algae and mud. Hopper 1967: 140–142, Fig. 1–7, no mention on number of specimens, Biscayne Bay, Florida, soft surface sediment within a bed of turtle grass. Chen & Vincx 2000: 42– 44, Fig. 7 a–e; two males and two females Beagle Channel and Strait of Magellan, 79–110 m deep, silty sand and mud).
6. Laimella minuta Vitiello, 1970
(Vitiello 1970: 451–453, Fig. 2 a–c; description made on the base of one male, Gulf of Lion, Mediterranean Sea, 370 m deep, mud).
7. Laimella sandrae Chen & Vincx, 2000
(Chen & Vincx 2000: 44–46, Fig. 8 a–g; one male and two females, Beagle Channel and Strait of Magellan, 255–550 m deep, mud).
8. Laimella socotris Barnes, Kim & Lee 2012
Barnes et al. 2012: 270–272, Fig. 2 a–f; description made on the base of one male, Ieo Island (Socotra Rock), Korea, 51 m deep, mud].
9. Laimella subterminata Chen & Vincx, 2000
(Chen & Vincx 2000: 46–48, Fig. 7 a–e; one male and two females, Beagle Channel and Strait of Magellan, 255–550 m deep, mud. Rosli et al. 2014: 519–523, Fig. 8 a–d, 9 a–b, 10 a–c; one male and one female, Southern Hikurangi, Canyon axis, New Zealand, 670–1350 m deep, mud).
10. Laimella tongyeongensis Barnes, Kim & Lee 2012
(Barnes et al. 2012: 273–276, Fig. 3 a–d, 4 a–h; three males, one female and three juveniles, Tongyeong Bay, Korea, 49 m deep, mud).
11. Laimella vera Vitiello, 1971
(Vitiello 1971: 865–866, Fig. 4 a–d; three males and one juveniles, Rhone mouth, France, 70–80 m deep, mud. Gourbault, 1980: 743–744, Fig. 3 a–e; three males, two females and one juvenile, South-east Atlantic Ocean, the Angola Basin, 3615 m deep).