Synonymy.—Chordotes [sic] puerilis Montgomery, 1898 [Ward, 1918].
Natural host.—Cockroach, U.S.A. (Montgomery, 1898); Pennsylvania, Maryland, Michigan, Ohio, Florida, Iowa, Nebraska (Ward, 1918).
Family GORDIIDAE
Gordius aquaticus Linnaeus, 1758
Natural host.—Blatta sp., U.S.A. (Stiles and Hassall, 1894).
Leidy (1879) identified a 9-inch-long nematode which came from a cockroach (Blatta orientalis?) as probably being Gordius aquaticus. Ransom (in Pierce, 1921) states that G. aquaticus may be an accidental parasite of man. Faust (1955) summarizes the few reported cases of human parasitism. Dorier (1930) reported that the regurgitated liquid of Blatta orientalis had no effect on cysts of G. aquaticus after one hour.
Gordius blattae orientalis Diesing, 1851
Synonymy.—Gordius orientalis of Lankester (1865).
Natural host.—Blatta orientalis, Germany (Siebold, 1842; Linstow, 1878): Found in abdomen. Von Siebold called this "Filarien" but did not otherwise name or describe the worm.