Gordius robustus Leidy, 1851

Villalobos, Cristina De, Zanca, Fernanda & Yanez, Alvaro Barragan, 2009, Three new species of Chordodes and new data on hairworms (Nematomorpha) from Ecuador, Zootaxa 2205, pp. 37-52 : 48-49

Gordius robustus Leidy, 1851

( Figure 11 )

Gordius robustus Leidy, 1851: 275 .

Holotype: Female, Pemberton, Burlington, New Jersey.

Material examined: SEM of midbody and posterior end: Newly reported specimens from Ecuador.

Host: Undetermined Gryllidae (1 male [ QCAZI 10004] from Napo, Hollin river) see also list in Schmidt- Rhaesa et al. (2003).

Description. The body color of the seven specimens is variable, but most of them are light to medium brown and have a dark pigmentation in the dorsal and ventral midline. The anterior end is tapering and with a dark collar. The posterior end is bilobed with a semicircular fold, the postcloacal crescent and anterior of the cloacal opening is a parabolic or semicircular row of bristles ( Fig. 11 A). Body cuticle is smooth with few minute bristles ( Fig. 11 B).

Dimensions: Length of males 210, 225, 249 and 260 mm, width 0.4, 0.5, 1 and 1.8 mm. Females 198, 225 and 365 mm long and 0.5, 0.9 and 2 mm wide.

Distribution: Gordius robustus is a species with a wide distribution in North, Central and South America (see Miralles & De Villalobos 1993; Schmidt-Rhaesa et al. 2003; De Villalobos et al. 2005; Schmidt-Rhaesa & Menzel 2005).

New records: Ecuador: Napo province: Hollin river 1072 m (00º41´44´´ S – 77º43´49´´ W), (2 males N. Velasco col. 06/12/ 2003) [QCAZI 10004]; Jatun, Sacha (1º06´67´´ S – 76º40´50´´ W), (1 female P. Ortiz col. 18/06/1995) [QCAZI 10005]; Baesa, Machangara river (00º46´09´´ S – 77º89´30´´ W), (1 male C. De Villalobos col. 07/03/2008) [QCAZI 10006], Tena Talag (00º59´97´´ S – 77º48´03´´ W), (1 male I. Benítez col. 27/02/1994) [QCAZI 10007]; Tungurahua province, on wet soil (1º39´37´´ S – 78º42´14´´ W) (1 female G. O n o r e col. 24/06/1991) [QCAZI 10008]; Loja province, Fierro Urco (3º43´51´´ S – 79º19´02´´ W), (1 female I. Tapia col. 15/03/2006) [QCAZI 10009].

Figures

FIGURE 11. Gordius robustus. SEM: A. Posterior end showing the round cloacal opening, the postcloacal crescent and two lobes. B. Smooth cuticle from midbody. Bars: 11 A = 100 µm, 11 B = 50 µm.