Gordionus

Schmidt-Rhaesa, Andreas & Martínez, Jesús, 2016, Gordius gonzalezi, a new species of horsehair worms (Nematomorpha) from Spain, Zootaxa 4103 (1), pp. 63-67 : 67

Gordionus sp. or Gordius sp.

Locality. Spain, Camino a Puente Rá, Sierra Cebollera, Rio Iregua, 1296m, La Rioja, 42°2´42.9´´N / 2°41´11.7´´W. Collected on July 6, 2015 by J. Martínez, M. González and L. Martín in a light trap.

The specimen is a female 105 mm long and 0.6 mm in diameter. The body color is dark brown, and lighter or darker coloration at the anterior end was not observed. The cuticle contains regular areoles of polygonal to roundish shape ( Fig. 3 D, E). Some single areoles are more elevated than others, but without a regular pattern ( Fig. 3 E). The surface of the areoles is furrowed, with furrows oriented perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the worm ( Fig. 3 E). They are often aligned with furrows of the neighboring areoles. Interareolar structures are absent. A regular pattern of areoles occurs in a number of species of the genera Gordius and Gordionus . As the male posterior end carries the main differences between these two taxa (e.g. presence or absence of the postcloacal crescent), females like this specimen cannot be assigned even to genus with certainty. In Gordius species a darkly colored collar posterior to a white anterior tip is usually present, but is absent here, so this specimen might tentatively belong to Gordionus .

Figures

FIGURE 3. A – C. Gordius sp. from Laguna de los Peces. A. Smooth cuticle covered with some dirt. B. Ventral view on posterior end with postcloacal crescent (pcc). Arrow indicates spines as figured in C. C. Fine spines on the inner side of the tail lobes. D, E. Gordionus sp. or Gordius sp. from Camino a Puente Rá. D. Cuticle under low magnification. E. Higher magnification showing fine structure of the areoles.