Abstract
Chordodes mizoramensis, a new species of freshwater gordiid horsehair worm, is described from Mizoram, NE India on the basis of scanning electron microscopic and morphometric studies. The new species can be distinguished from its congeners in that the apical filaments of the crowned areoles are branched several times, a pattern that has not been observed in other species. An additional distinguishing character is that it has more bulging areoles, which are distributed among simple areoles alone or in groups, do not form clear patterns.
Highlights
About 350 species of freshwater horsehair worms (Nematomorpha: Gordiida) are currently known
We describe here a new species of the genus Chordodes Camerano, 1897
Pieces about 1 mm long were cut from the mid-body region of each worm. These and the entire posterior ends were prepared for Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM)
Summary
About 350 species of freshwater horsehair worms (Nematomorpha: Gordiida) are currently known. Praying mantids form the main group of final hosts for species of Chordodes (see Schmidt-Rhaesa and Ehrmann 2001). The cuticle contains six types of areoles (areoles are elevated cuticular structures), for which the terminology of Schmidt-Rhaesa et al (2008) will be applied. Bulging areoles are more elevated and carry a small tuft of very short bristles on top (Fig. 1C, D).
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