HAIRWORM (NEMATOMORPHA, GORDIOIDEA) PARASITES OF NEW-ZEALAND WETAS (ORTHOPTERA, STENOPELMATIDAE)

The New Zealand hairworms (Nematomorpha: Gordioidea) Gordius dimorphus n.sp., Euchordodes nigromaculatus n.sp., and Gordionus diblastus (Orley) are described or redescribed as parasites of the stenopelmatid (Orthoptera) genera Deinacrida, Hemiandrus, Zealandosandrus, and Hemideina. Hairworm larvae are described from aquatic insect paratenic hosts. It is assumed that when these hosts are eaten by wetas, the parasites invade the body cavity of the latter and develop to maturity. On the basis of biogeographical and paleontological evidence it is likely that weta parasitism by hairworms extends back to the Mesozoic.