Cunaxoides decastroae Den Heyer sp. nov.

(Figures 1, 2)

Material studied

Holotype female, clover, Asadabad (Pirmalo), Iran, 8 August 1994, M. Khanjani (Slide 197–27).

Diagnosis

The most striking feature of this species is the presence of a pair of integumental invaginations in the area between the posterolateral edges of the genital valves and the nearby lyrifissure ih. This soft-bodied species closely resembles Cunaxoides croceus Koch 1838, but differs from it as follows: in this new species setae pair e1 are situated on dorsal shield; in C. croceus and C. paracroceus Sionti and Papadoulis, 2003 they are located on the integument. Invagination near anal region; dorsal “shield” entire; genua IV with 2 asl.

Female (Figure 1 A–G) (n = 1)

Dimension and description. Idiosoma: length 316, width 223; hypognathum: length 131, width 77; lengths: palps 89, chelicerae 119: legs: I 223, II 200, III 223, IV 246; sensillae vi 111, sce 126: dorsal setae: ve 26, sci 32, c1 23, c2 22, d1 20, e1 28, f1 30, h1 35.

Dorsum (Figure 1A–C). Dorsum (Figure 1A) with a weakly sclerotized but welldemarcated shield-like area carrying sensillae pairs vi, sce (Figure 1B, C) and setae pairs ve, sci, c1, c2, d1 and e1. Shield provided with lobes whose pattern is shown in Figure 1. Integumental striae also lobed. Dorsal integument carries smooth setae pairs f1 and h1 on region posteriad to dorsal shield.

Venter (Figure 1D). Sternal, coxal and genital areas somewhat heavier lobed than integument (Figure 1E). Propodogastral setae on posteromedian edge of undivided sternal area; paracoxal setae occur on median edges of coxal IV regions. Genital valves with four pairs of simple setae; seta g4 longer than g1–3; two pairs of genital papillae. Genital valves surrounded by longitudinal striae: surface of genital valves covered with flat striae.

Gnathosoma (Figure 1 E–G). Hypognathum with ventral surface papillate; coxal region with conspicuous internal apodemes; four pairs of hg setae; setae hg3 longer than others (Figure 1E). Cheliceral joint I papillate; joint II punctuate with terminal setae. Palp (Figure 1E, F) three-jointed; trochanter short without seta, femorogenu with three setae dorsally and two laterally. Tibiotarsus with five simple setae, a bulge-like process, distally a tooth-like process, a terminal solenidion and a terminal claw.

Legs (Figures 1H, 2 A–C). Right leg III (as on slide) shows teratological variation; chaetotaxy of these podomeres based on left leg III. Leg chaetotaxy: coxae I–IV 3 sts, 1 peg –1 sts –3 sts –2 sts; trochanters I–IV 1–1–2–1 sts; basifemora I–V 4–3–3– 0 or 1 sts; telofemora I–IV 4–4–3–2 sts; genua I–V 4 asl, 5 sts –2 asl, 5 sts –1 asl, 5 sts – 2 asl, 5 sts; tibiae I–IV 1 asl, 1 alveolus with very short peg-like solenidion, 5 sts–1 bsl, 5 sts –1 asl, 5 sts – 4 sts, 1 T; tarsi I–IV 4 asl, 1 famulus pit distally, 1 dtsl, 2 tsl, 18 sts–1bsl, 1 dtsl, 1 tsl, 19 sts–1 tsl, 15 sts –15 sts.

Male. Unknown.

Etymology

This species is named for the Brazilian acarologist, Dr Tatiane Marie Martins Gomes de Castro, a former postgraduate student of senior author.