Ectoparasitic nematodes developing in the integument of a Baltic amber pseudoscorpion

ABSTRACT

A new type of ectoparasitic nematode development in the integument of a pseudoscorpion in Baltic amber is presented. The adult nematodes feed, apparently mate and oviposit in cavities within the integument of the host. Nourishment is obtained from the host’s hypodermis through a short stylet. Since these nematodes defer description because many of its pertinent characters are not clearly visible, it is described in the established collective group genus, Vetus Taylor, which was erected for fossil nematodes that could not be placed in any known extant family.

KEYWORDS:

• Mid-tertiary
• Chernetidae
• collective genus
• hypodermis
• eggs

Acknowledgments

I thank Danilo Harms for determining the family of the fossil pseudoscorpion.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).