SOME OBSERVATIONS ON A NEWLY RECORDED MERMITHID PARASITE OF IXODES-RICINUS L (ACARINA, IXODIDAE)

This is the first record of a mermithid (Nematoda, Mermithidae) parasi tic in body cavity of Ixodes ricinus adults collected at two localitie s in Denmark during 1993-1995. Out of 213 adults 13 were parasitized ( females 8.1% and males 3.4%). Up to three mermithid larvae were observ ed per host. The juvenile mermithids were up to 20 mm long and from th eir mouth emerged a stylet 70 mu m long. The morphology and ultrastruc ture of the mermithid juveniles was studied with scanning and transmis sion electron microscopes.