Chordodes bouvieri ( Villot, 1885 )

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 : 45-46

Chordodes bouvieri ( Villot, 1885)

( Figures 8 , 9 )

1885. Gordius bouvieri Villot, p. 75 (drawing in Villot 1886, pl. XV, fig. 22–26)

1895. Chordodes bouvieri Römer, p. 797 (see comments)

Holotype: 2 females, locality unknown (Villot 1885, 1886).

Material examined: SEM of midbody of 3 females [ QCAZI 10000] from Orellana province, Napo, Scientific Station Yasuní (06º13´10´´ S - 74º40´50´´ W). J. Padilla col. 18/09/2004; 1female [ QCAZI 10001] from Sucumbios Cuyabeno (00º18´06´´ S – 76º80´28´´ W). C. Estévez col. 22/07/1989 and 1 female [ QCAZI 10002] from Fierro Hurco (3º43´51´´ S – 79º19´02´´ W). I. Tapia col. 15/03/2006).

Host: Undetermined Gryllidae (1 female [ QCAZI 10000], (1 male, Carvalho & Feio 1950).

Description. Body color varies between light and dark brown with numerous darker brown patches (leopard-pattern). The terminal end is rounded.

The cuticle contains three types of areoles ( Figs. 8 A, 8B): Simple, tubercle and crowned areoles. Simple areoles are oval or round with a small and central porous and carry small bristles on their top. Tubercle areoles resemble simple areoles and have a more or less pointed tubercle (spine-like or finger-like). The tubercle originates in a central depression on top or in an eccentric depression in the areole. The most prominent type of areole is elevated (30 µm high) with several short apical filaments (crowned areoles) ( Fig. 8 B). Crowned areoles occur in clusters of two, three or four areoles very close together. The crowned areoles with short filaments occur along the whole body.

The ventral longitudinal midline is recognizable as a longitudinal strip that is bordered by the clusters of crowned areoles that do not differ from the ones described above ( Figs. 9 A, 9B). The newly reported specimen from Sucumbios [QCAZI 10001] varies in some respects from the other specimens. It had simple areoles elevated and with a clearly evident porous on top without bristles ( Fig. 9 C).

Dimensions: Measurements of the specimens investigated were as follow (length in mm/diameter in mm) 153, 137, 156, 330, 253 /2.1–2.4. According to the literature: 2 females: 253/3, 330/2.2 (Camerano 1897a); 2 females: 280/1.5, 360/2 (Camerano 1897b, 1915); 4 males: 110, 155, 186, 187/0.8–1; 10 females: 122, 203, 226, 227, 229, 255, 280, 298, 301, 305/1.5– 2 (Camerano 1915); 1male: 180/1.8 (Carvalho & Feio 1950).

Distribution: Argentina: Tucumán (1 male, Carvalho & Feio 1950). Colombia: Gimenez (2 males, Camerano 1915). Ecuador: Gualaquiza (2 females, Camerano 1897a, 1897b); Orellana province, Napo, Scientific Station Yasuní (3 females [QCAZI 10000], new record); Sucumbios Cuyabeno (1 female [QCAZI 10001], new record); Fierro Hurco (1 female [QCAZI 10002], new record). Venezuela: Merida (1 male and 2 females, Camerano 1915); Chama (1 male and 3 females, Camerano 1915); Escurial (5 females, Camerano 1915).

Comments. This species was originally described as Gordius bouvieri by Villot (1885). In 1895 Römer added a specimen from Sydney ( Australia) as Chordodes bouvieri , but Camerano (1897b) and Heinze (1935) changed his determination to C. modigliani and Schmidt-Rhaesa (2002), finally transferred it to C. queenslandi . These newly specimens of Chordodes bouvieri from Ecuador correspond in all details with the description of Villot (1885, 1886) and Camerano (1897a, 1897b).

According to Camerano (1915) the shape of the crowned areoles (length and diameter) of the specimens of Chordodes bouvieri from Colombia and Venezuela shows differences with the specimens from Ecuador (Camerano 1897a, 1897b), we also observed some variation in 1 female (QCAZI 10001) from Sucumbios Gayabeno, in the form of simple areoles, but this is thought to be due to intraspecific variations.

Figures

FIGURE 8. Chordodes bouvieri. SEM: A. Overview of the midbody cuticle. B. Detail of simple (1), tubercle (2) and clusters of crowned areoles with short apical filaments (3). Bars: 8 A, 8 B = 20 µm.

FIGURE 9. Chordodes bouvieri. SEM: A. General view of the cuticle along ventral midline. B. Detail of clusters of crowned areoles along the ventral midline having short apical filaments. C. Simple areoles in a female (QCAZI 10001) with a clearly evident porous on top without bristles. Bars: 9 A = 200 µm, 9 B = 10 µm, 9 C = 20 µm.