Considerations on the genus Gordius (Nematomorpha, horsehair worms), with the description of seven new species
Author
Schmidt-Rhaesa, Andreas
text
Zootaxa
2010
2533
1
35
journal article
10.5281/zenodo.196586
8d53a5dc-5a4c-4ed1-974f-fda0ef7d42c1
1175-5326
196586
Gordius pesici
sp. nov.
(
Fig. 9
D–E)
Type
material:
Holotype
: 13, Zoological Museum Hamburg,
ZMH
V13274
.
Type
locality.
Montenegro
, Budva (coll.
September 2, 2006
).
Other material examined.
No further material.
Etymology.
The name honours Vladimir Pešić for his enthusiasm in collecting gordiids on the Balkans.
Description.
The body color is medium brown; white spots are present on the cuticle. The anterior end includes a white tip followed by a black collar, dark median lines are absent. The specimen is
105 mm
long and has a diameter of 0.5 mm.
The postcloacal crescent is about parabolic and continues to about half the length of the tail lobes (
Fig. 9
D). The crescent is directly at the point of bifurcation. The entire posterior end contains folds and the cloacal opening could not be observed in detail. The tail lobes are about twice as long as broad, their inner side is slightly concave. Scattered tiny bristles are present on the entire posterior end (
Fig. 9
D).
The cuticle includes numerous knob-like structures which are often fused to long strings (
Fig. 9
E). Each single element is
ca
oval. Fusion occurs always on the narrow side, resulting in strings. Sometimes fusion takes place not directly on the tip, but slightly lateral, resulting in slightly zig-zaging strings. The strings are oriented perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the animal.
Remarks.
The cuticular pattern closely resembles that of
G. g e s n e r i
Heinze, 1937
from
Germany
and
Croatia
(
Heinze 1937
;
Čanadjija 1956
), but differs from this species by the lack of the characteristic indentations on the inner side of the tail lobes (see above under
G. balcanicus
). The cuticular strings appear as elevated fusion products of areole-like structures, but in
G. balcanicus
the appearance is more like a smooth cuticle with grooves. Therefore, the character combination of this specimen is new and justifies the description of a new species.