THE DISTANCES BETWEEN CUTICULAR RIDGES FOLLOW A GAUSSIAN FUNCTION IN OSTERTAGIINE NEMATODES - THE POTENTIAL USE OF THIS PHENOMENON AS A TAXONOMIC CRITERION

The distribution of distances between cuticular ridges was studied in six genera of ostertagiines. It was well fitted by a Gaussian function of the position of the inter-ridges on both the dorsal and ventral re gions of the synlophe. The three parameters of the fitted function wer e very similar in individuals of the same species but of different ori gin or morphs, similar in different species of the same genus, but oft en differed between genera. Further comparative evaluation of the inte r-ridge distance is required in order to assess its value as a taxonom ic criterion.