Thalassaphorura houtanensis sp. nov. from Shanghai, East China is described. It is similar to T. encarpata （Denis, 1931） in having labial palp of type A and the same pseudocelli formula on the body. It can be distinguished by the shape of unguis, chaetotaxy of labium, maxillary out lobe and ventral tube. It was confirmed as an absolutely parthenogenetic species after a reproduction test in the lab. In addition, the DNA barcoding sequences of this new species were sequenced and analyzed. The intraspecific genetic divergence is 0.18% on average and ranges from zero to 0.46%.
