Revista Chilena de Historia Natural 78 (4): 673-686, 2005
RESEARCH ARTICLE
Redescription and new records of freshwater Nematomorpha (Gordiida) from Chile, with the
description of two new species
Only four species of Gordiida (Nematomorpha) are known from Chile. This paper
describes two new species Gordionus enigmaticus and Gordius austrinus. Gordionus enigmaticus
is characterized by the variation in the shape of the areoles along the longitudinal ventral furrow and by the absence of the
precloacal fields of bristles at the terminal end. Gordius austrinus can be distinguished from other Gordius
species by the presence of the precloacal ledge bounding the cloacal area depression, by the cuticular prominence where the
cloacal opening lies and by the distribution pattern of the bristles at the posterior end. Likewise, Gordius
paranensis, Gordius robustus and Neochordodes meridionales are ultrastructuraly redescribed
and the distribution of each of them in Chile is given.
Key words:
Nematomorpha, Chile,
distribution, new species
