• Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.165-169
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• 2001

We describe tubular structures on the cuticle of two representatives of the genus Gordius by scanning electron microscopy. One female from Korea could not be identified further while a male from New Zealand belonged to Gordius paranensis. Other male specimens of G. paranensis did not show tubular structures or the corresponding pores on the cuticle. Therefore it is assumed that tubular structures are not species-specific structures, but also no artifacts or contaminations. They might be glandular products, but this has to be verified by further documentations and investigation of the inner structure of it.

• Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.223-230
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• 1992

The present study of hourse-hair worms was based on the materials collected from 17 areas in Korea during the period from October 1986 to June 1992. As a result the identified Korean horse-hair worms consist of 2 species in 1 genus. One is new species, Gordius lineatus n. sp. and the other, Gordius robustus Leidy, 1851 is newly recorded in South Korea. Total 6 species in 2 genera are now listed for the gordioidean fauna of Korea.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.586-590
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• 2009

Horsehair worms (Chordodes koreensis) develop as parasites in the bodies of grasshoppers, crickets, cockroaches, and some beetles. Chordodes koreensis is an accidental parasite of humans, livestock, or pets and poses no public health threat. The male of Chordodes koreensis in the later larval stage from canine vomitus was investigated by the scanning and transmission electron microscopy. In cross sections, the body wall is composed of four components namely epicuticle, cuticle, epidermis, and muscle layers. The parenchymal tissue fills the rest of the body and surrounds the visceral organs such as intestine, and ventral nerve cord but testes were not found. The epicuticle is a thin superficial layer whose surface shows rows of polygonal elevations called areoles. The cuticle has 17 layers of collagenous fibers spirally wound about the long axis of the worm. The section through the cuticle reveals the layers of large fibers cut obliquely lengthwise, alternating with layers of fibers sectioned obliquely crosswise. The layers of large fiber formed a double helix about longitudinal axis of the worm. The epidermis is a single layer. The muscles were interrupted by the nervous lamella in the only midventral portion. The medulla of muscle plate is composed of lightly stained cytoplasm, mitochondria, weakly developed endoplasmic reticulum, and glycogen granules. Between the medulla of a cell and the plasmalemma lies a broad cortical zone of myofilaments. The circular muscles are absent. The characteristic feature of the cytoplasm is that there was no content in peripheral mesenchyme, but was an abundance of large clear vacuoles which give the cytosome a foamy appearance. The nucleus of mesenchyme is not easily identified in our specimens.

• Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.161-166
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• 2003

One new species of horsehair worms (Nematomorpha) from Korea, Poruchordodes megareolatus, is described. The specimen is reported from the human urinary system. The significance of this and other reports from the urinary system is discussed. The characteristics of the new species are clusters of a small type of cuticular structures, the areoles, which are associated with a second type of areoles, the large megareoles. Another character unique for the genus Parachordodes is the fusion of rows of cuticular bristles on the ventral side anterior of the cloacal opening.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.348-352
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• 2009

This report deals with the morphology of the horsehair worm isolated in canine vomitus. We received a worm in living status. The worm was investigated by using light and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) for species determination. Grossly, the worm was blackish brown in color and 215 mm in length and 1.2 mm in maximum width. Microscopically, the worm was composed of epicuticle, cuticle, epidermis, muscle, mesenchyme, pseudocoel, nerve cord and gut. But the genital organ was not developed. The SEM study revealed that the cuticle contains five types of elevated structures called areoles. The cuticular surface of the parasite is covered by an abundant type of areoles: simple areole, tubercle areole, bulging areole, crowned areole, circumcluster areole. The observed characteristics of the specimen in this study are same to those of genus Chordodes. And we concluded that it is a male of Chordodes koreensis belong to Gordiida. Only nine species of freshwater Nematomorpha are known from Korea, two of which belong to the genus Chordodes. But the case of parasitic horsehair worm in dogs do not recorded, and this is a first gordiosis of dog in Korea.