Chordodes schoutedeni Sciacchitano, 1933

Zanca, Fernanda, Schmidt-Rhaesa, Andreas, Villalobos, Cristina De & Achiorno, Cecilia, 2006, Revision of the genus Chordodes (Gordiida, Nematomorpha) from Africa. II. Ultrastructural redescription of C. africanus Sciacchitano, 1933, C. hawkeri Camerano 1902; C. sandoensis, Sciacchitano 1937; C. schoutedeni, Sciacchitano 1933 and reinterpretation of Chordodes butensis Sciacchitano, 1937, Zootaxa 1191 (1191), pp. 49-59 : 56-58

Chordodes schoutedeni Sciacchitano, 1933

( Figure 4)

1933. Chordodes schoutedeni . Sciacchitano Rev. Zool. Bot. Afr. 24: 54.

Holotype: 1 female (AMT 1414)

Type locality: Democratic Republic of the Congo, prov Katanga, Leopoldville

Material examined: Holotype, SEM from midbody. LM from posterior end

Host: Unknown.

Description: The body colour of the female holotype is light brown. The posterior end ( Fig. 4A) is rounded and the cloacal opening is circular with a central terminal position. The body cuticle shows light spots. The anterior end is tapered, the anterior tip is white and a dark collar is lacking. The cuticle has five types of areoles. Simple areoles ( Figs. 4B, AC) are distributed on the whole cuticle and are low (4.8µm) and oval in shape and with a warty surface (blackberry­like) with or without bristles on top; among simple areoles there are tubercle areoles with a short tubercle (6.7 high) at the apex ( Fig. 4C) and blunt, elevated thorn areoles (8.4µm) originating from a basal ring structure ( Fig. 4B). Crowned areoles occur in pairs and are elevated (9.8µm) above the surface ( Fig. 4C). They have an apical ring of very short filaments. Between 23 and 27 elevated (17.3µm) circumcluster areoles that are curved towards the center and surround each pair of crowned areoles ( Fig. 4C). These circumcluster areoles are the highest, being conical, with a ring of short filaments at the apex. The interareolar groove is wide 3.9µm with cuticular rims.

Dimensions: 1 female 217mm X 1mm ( Sciacchitano, 1933, 1958), own measurements: length 204mm, diameter 0.8mm and 1 male 195mm X 1mm ( Sciacchitano 1961).

Comments: Sciacchitano (1933) describes Chordodes schoutedeni from a female specimen but Sciacchitano (1958) mentions again this specimen as a male. Taking into account that the measures of this specimen, the collection date and the collector´s name correspond, it is assumed that this report of 1958 is a repetition of the 1933 report. Our reinvestigation confirms that the holotype of C. schoutedeni is a female (see Fig. 4A).

Sciacchitano (1933) describes the cuticle of C. schoutedeni with two areolar types, but the figure given is insufficient to distinguish the types properly from each other. Crowned areoles are not among the areoles described. In 1958 Sciacchitano widens the description of the cuticle giving 3 areolar types (simple areoles, circumcluster areoles and crowned areoles). He also mentions, without considering it as another areolar type, the presence of a large tubercle which would correspond to our thorn areoles. We can also add one further areolar type: tubercle areoles.

Distribution: Democratic Republic of the Congo, prov Katanga, Leopoldville (1 female, Sciacchitano 1933). Angola: Dundo (1 male, Sciacchitano 1961)