Gordius digitatus Schmidt-Rhaesa, 2010, sp. nov.

Gordius digitatus sp. nov.

(Fig. 7 D–E)

Type material: 13, Holotype: Zoological Museum Hamburg, ZMH V13271.

Type locality. Croatia, Plitvice Lakes (Plitvička Jezera) (coll. August 8, 2000 by M. Teiwes).

Other material examined. No further material.

Etymology. The name refers to the shape of the areoles which interdigitate with each other.

Description. The body color is very light brown; white spots are absent. The anterior end includes a white tip followed by a very weakly darker colored collar. The specimen is 110 mm long and has a diameter of 0.4 mm.

The postcloacal crescent is short and moderately bent (Fig 7 E). It is directly at the point of bifurcation, but the arms extend only slightly onto the tail lobes. The tail lobes are a bit shorter than their double diameter, the inner side is only very slightly concave. Scattered tiny bristles are present on the entire posterior end, lacking only in the immediate neighbourhood of the cloacal opening (Fig. 7 E). The shape of the cloacal opening itself could not be observed because it is covered by dirt or sperm.

The cuticle includes areoles of variable shape (Fig. 7 D). Sometimes, areoles are rounded or polygonal and may fuse with neighbouring areoles (Fig. 2 D), but the cuticle also contains areoles of irregular shape, forming digits that interdigitate with neighbouring areoles like a jigsaw (Fig. 7 D). The cuticle is covered with smooth patches considered to be contaminations (Fig. 2 D).

Remarks. All areoles that have been reported from Gordius species are roundish or polygonal in shape. The presence of interdigitating irregularly shaped areoles is therefore a new pattern characteristic for this species.