To address this problem, we describe and compare morphological characteristics of non-adult stages for nine species of African and North American gordiids from four genera ( Chordodes, Gordius, Paragordius, and Neochordodes). Unfortunately, little information is available on the morphological characteristics of non-adult stages of hairworms. However, recent work indicates that non-adult cyst stages of hairworms may be the most commonly encountered stages of gordiids in the environment, and can be used for discovering the hidden diversity of this group. Estimates suggest that only 18% of hairworm species have been described globally and biodiversity studies on this group have been hindered by unreliable ways of collecting adult free living worms over large geographical areas. Gordiida, hairworm, Gordian worm, Africa, North America, scanning electron microscopy, differential interference contrast microscopy, life cycle, oviposition behavior, non-adult life stages, Chordodes, Gordius, Paragordius, Neochordodes Abstractįreshwater hairworms infect terrestrial arthropods as larvae but are free-living in aquatic habitats as adults. Zoological Museum and Institute, Biocenter Grindel, Martin-Luther-King-Platz 3, 20146 Hamburg, Germany.Ĭenter for Evolutionary and Theoretical Immunology, Department of Biology, 163 Castetter Hall, University of New Mexico,Īlbuquerque, New Mexico 87131-0001, U.S.A. Department of Zoology, 501 Life Sciences West, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma 74078, U.S.A.
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