New species of marine nematodes from Loch Ewe, Scotland H. M. Platt Department of Zoology, British Museum (Natural History), Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD Z. N. Zhang Shandong College of Oceanography, Qingdao, Shandong Province, People's Republic of China 1 Introduction During an investigation of the shallow sublittoral nematode fauna off a small sandy bay in Scotland one of us (Z.N.Z.) encountered a number of previously undescribed species. These were studied in detail at the British Museum (Natural History) and we here present descriptions of six of the more interesting species: Gerlachius novusetosus, Catanema macintyrei, Catanema smo, Ceramonema yunfengi, Acantholaimus ewensis and Rhips paraornata. A new diagnosis is given for the subfamily Gerlachinae Andrassy, 1976. The genus Robbea Gerlach, 1956 is synonymized with Catanema Cobb, 1920; a new generic diagnosis and a key to the species is given. Keys are also provided for the genera Ceramonema Cobb, 1920 and Acantholaimus Allgen, 1933. Several other minor nomenclatorial changes are suggested. Species belonging to these five genera have not been found previously in British waters and Rhips Cobb, 1920 has not previously been recorded from Europe. Material and methods All specimens came from the same place; sublittoral sand in 3 m of water off 'north beach', Firemore Bay, Loch Ewe, Wester Ross, Scotland. Detailed descriptions of the bay and its fauna can be found in Steele & Baird (1968), Mclntyre & Eleftheriou (1968) and Mclntyre & Murison (1973). The glycerine mounted specimens were studied using a Leitz Ortholux II microscope equipped with differential interference contrast facility. All drawings were made using a drawing tube. The formulae used for the dimensions are a modification of Filipjev's (1918) formula and the de Man ratios, as described in Platt (1973). The abbreviations 'S' and 'V are the spicule length and the relative position of the vulva respectively. The abbreviations 'a.b.d.' and 'c.d.' are the anal (or cloacal) body diameter and corresponding (body) diameter. Type material has been deposited at the British Museum (Natural History). Systematic descriptions The classification follows that given in Gerlach & Riemann (1973). Subfamily GERLACHINAE Andrassy, 1976 DIAGNOSIS. Meyliidae. Cuticle smooth or feintly striated. Amphids circular, lightly cuticularised or invisible. Testes paired, opposed. Ovaries reflexed. 'also, D.A.F.S. Marine Laboratory, Victoria Road, Aberdeen AB9 8DB Bull. Br. Mus. nat. Hist. (Zool.) 42 (4) : 227-246 Issued 24 June 1 982