Free-living marine nematodes were collected from the continental shelf region of southeast coast of India during the Cruise no. 260 of FORV Sagar Sampada. As many as, 4235 specimens were enumerated belong to one hundred and ninety two nematode species were identified up to species level. Family Xyalidae is the most dominant family and it consist of eighteen species from the study area. Among these, eleven species were identified under the genus of Daptonema. Five of these species Daptonema biggi, Daptonema hirsutum, Daptonema normandicum, Daptonema psammoides and Daptonema tenuispiculum which happen to be first record from Indian waters are described.

Free-living marine nematodes, Daptonema, continental shelf, India.