Chordodes ruginosus, Villalobos, Cristina De, Zanca, Fernanda & Yanez, Alvaro Barragan, 2009

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 : 44

Chordodes ruginosus n. sp.

( Figures 6 , 7 )

Holotype: 1 female [ QCAZI 2040], [ MLP 5943] Orellana province, Taracoa, Pozo Primavera, Ecuador (1235m) (04º90´18´´ S – 75º72´74´´ W). J. Vieira col. 21/07/2006.

Host: Undetermined Mantids.

Etymology. The name (L. ruga, meaning wrinkled) refers to the surface characteristics shown by the simple and tubercle areoles.

Description. The body color is dark brown, the anterior tip is tapering. The posterior end is rounded. The body length is 132 mm; the maximal diameter is 1.4 mm.

The cuticle contains six areolar types ( Figs. 6 A, 6B): simple, tubercle, thorn, bulging, crowned and circumcluster areoles. Simple areoles are more numerous, low, very slender with a wrinkled surface (like a blackberry) and are perpendicular to the body axis. Tubercle and thorn areoles occur quite scattered on the cuticular surface ( Fig. 6 B). Tubercle areoles have a short tubercle. This tubercle is low (9–12 µm high) with a round apex. Thorn areoles, with a robust spine on top (25–29 µm high); originate from a ring-shaped basal structure. Bulging areoles resemble simple areoles but are more elevated (24 µm). They are arranged forming groups of 2 or 3 areoles. Two further types of areoles occur in clusters and are elevated 26–28 µm above the surface, circumcluster areoles (15–18 areoles) that are slender with a slightly smooth surface, surround two crowned areoles with a crown of filaments on top (25–27 µm long) ( Fig. 6 B). Along the ventral groove of the body, there are crowned areoles with very long filaments (up to 273 µm) ( Fig. 7 ).

Comments. This species belongs in a large group of Chordodes species, in which simple areoles are strongly structured into “blackberry” areoles and clusters of crowned and circumcluster areoles are present (see Schmidt-Rhaesa et al. 2008). Chordodes ruginosus resembles C. staviarskii , concerning the presence of the same six types of areoles (see De Villalobos & Zanca 2005). In C. staviarskii the simple areoles are mostly circular in shape, circumcluster areoles are less numerous and the cuticular structures have an irregular distribution. In C. ruginosus the slender form of the simple areoles, the number and the shape of the circumcluster areoles and the distribution pattern of the cuticular structures justify the description of new species.

Figures

FIGURE 6. Chordodes ruginosus. SEM: A. Overview of the midbody cuticle showing Simple, tubercle, thorn, bulging, crowned and circumcluster areoles. B. Detail of clusters of crowned areoles with short apical filaments surrounded by circumcluster areoles and thorn and tubercle areoles. Bars: 6 A = 50 µm, 6 B = 10 µm.

FIGURE 7. Chordodes ruginosus. SEM: Clusters of crowned areoles with long apical filaments from along the ventral midline. Bars = 50 µm.