Two populations of new species are described for Hexapleomera Dudich, 1931 from the southeastern coast and Jeju island of South Korea (north west Pacific). The specimens were collected using a light trap set overnight at the entrance near a pier or harbour. Hexapleomera ulsanasp. n. is clearly differentiated from other species in the genus by the uropod with five articles, a maxillule palp with four distal setae, the maxilliped coxa with three proximal setae, the epignath with short and blunt spiniform seta, the propodus of pereopods 2-3 with three ventral setae, and the maxilla with a rugged shape of the distal margin. Differences of mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (mtCOI) gene observed between two populations of H. ulsana from different regions (Ulsan and Jeju Island) and between H. ulsana and H. urashima (Japan) were 1.1 % and 32.4 %, respectively. Two genetically-close populations differed in the setae on pleopod 3, the proximal setae on the maxilliped coxa, and the ventral setae on pereopods 2-3, which showed that geographical distance affected the morphological divergence. In addition, a comprehensive comparison with previous records of Hexapleomera was conducted and close examinations on the appendages, known to have morphological variations between the individuals of one species and/or between different genders, were carried out based on new species and discussed herein.
Keywords: Hexapleomera; Tanaidacea; Tanaidomorpha; genetic analysis; sexual dimorphism.