In the summer of 2003, chironomid imagoes eclosing from Lake Alice Bog in Minnesota yielded mermithid nematodes of 2 new species. Lanceimermis palustris n. sp. is distinguished from the other 14 species of the genus by the subventral mouth position, thinness of the hook-shaped spicule, body index, and structure of the male tail muscles. Telomermis palustris n. sp. is distinguished from the only other species of the genus by the structure of the amphids, body length, maximum body width, length of the esophagus, and the presence of a minute larval terminal horn. Lanceimermis palustris n. sp. hosts were Chironomus maturus Johannsen and T. palustris n. sp. hosts were Tanytarsus mendax Kieffer, Paratanytarsus nr. dissimilis n. sp., and Micropsectra polita (Malloch). In both mermithid species, the percent of mermithid males per host increased with the intensity of the infection.
Hydromermis contorta (Kohn) and Hydromermis pseudocontorta n. sp. are described from chironomids in Lake Itasca and Long Lake, Minnesota, respectively. The former was recovered from adult females of Glyptotendipes paripes (Edwards) and the latter from fourth-instar larvae of Chironomus sp. Hydromermis pseudocontorta n. sp. resembles H. contorta in cephalic structures, overall size, and the presence of a restricted trophosome in the female. The terminal mouth, long uterine and vulvar limbs of the vagina, and the strongly chitinized brownish spicule of H. contorta contrast with the subventral mouth, short vaginal limbs, and the light yellow spicule of H. pseudocontorta n. sp. Both nematode species emerge from the host as sexually mature adults and both species give evidence of mating while in the host. The H. contorta described by Welch is designated as a new species, Hydromermis albionis n. sp.
Specimens of 2 mermithid species were obtained from adults of undetermined species of chironomids emerging from Lake Itasca (Clearwater County), Minnesota. Both species have the characteristics of species in the genus Strelkovimermis. The new species are distinguishable from one another and from the 8 currently accepted species in the genus by their small size, shape of the posterior end, length of the buccal funnel, length of the cephalic papillae, location of the mouth, and morphology of the spicule region and vagina. Strelkovimrmis acuticauda n. sp. is unique in possessing an acute posterior end, an auxiliary protractor muscle, and a relatively long vagina, whereas Strelkovimermis buccalis n. sp. is distinguishable from other Strelkovimermis species by its thick cuticle and exceptionally long buccal funnel. The significance of the tail muscles is emphasized as a taxonomic feature to be used in describing future species of Strelkovimermis. A key to the 10 species of Strelkovimermis is provided.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.