Klinckowstroemia melissae, Villegas-Guzmán, Gabriel A., Reyes-Castillo, Pedro & Pérez, Tila M., 2011

Villegas-Guzmán, Gabriel A., Reyes-Castillo, Pedro & Pérez, Tila M., 2011, New species of Klinckowstroemia Baker & Wharton, 1952 (Acari: Klinckowstroemiidae), associated with passalid beetles from Mexico and Panama, Zootaxa 2747, pp. 19-36 : 25-28

Klinckowstroemia melissae sp. nov.

Female (n = 3)

Body oval. Idiosoma, L = 736 (723–736); W = 531 (518–531) ( Fig. 3 A).

Gnathosoma with different types of setae: hyp 1 long and simple, L = 48 (47–50), longer than other three. hyp 2 serrate, L = 33 (33–34). hyp 3 short and serrate, L = 12 (12–14) ( Fig. 4 B). hyp 4 short and simple, L = 11 (9–12).

Chelicera with excrescences, movable digit with four teeth, two small and two larger; fixed digit with six teeth. Most palpal setae simple, but av 1 and av 2 of trochanter branched and serrate respectively. Anterior margin of palp trochanter with blunt process (b) and slightly longer spine-like process (s).

Hyaline hood extending to level of coxa I, seta a 1 large and serrate, L = 25 (25–27). Tritosternum base wider than long. Presternal shield L = 37 (37–43), anterior W = 99 (96–99), shagreened ( Fig. 4 C). Presternal notch shaped like a small square. Sternal seta st 1 serrate ( Fig. 4 D), L = 27 (25–32), near to anterior margin; opposite margin has lyriform sternal pore stp 1.

Sternal shield reticulated and shagreened ( Fig. 4 E), L = 56, near the anterior margin of the shield is stp 2, below it is sternal seta st 2, L = 19 (16–19), serrate and medium. Near the posterior margin of the shield are sternal setae st 3, L = 16 (12–16) serrated, and st 4 is a microseta.

Sternogynal shield triangular ( Fig. 4 A) L = 47; W = 143, posterior margin narrow and pointed at apex, surface is shagreened and reticulated, stp 3 located closer to anterior margin. Sternogynal apodeme with broad base that reaches to the shield, posterior arms thick, extending posteriorly to level of latigynal and mesogynal condyles. Latigynal shields, L = 109 (102–109); W = 62, each with an oval pore and 4–5 setae ( Fig. 4 A), medial margin of shield wavy and medium, this shield reticulated and shagreened. Latigynal apodeme thick and separate from the sternogynal shield. Mesogynal shield, L = 53 (53–56), W = 81, triangular, anterior margin rounded and posterior margin extended ( Fig. 4 A), surface shagreened. Mesogynal condyles extending almost to level of shield apex.

Ventral shield, L = 186 (186–192); posterior W = 428 (422–443), shield triangular, truncated posteriorly, surface reticulated and shagreened, with 13–14 pairs of small setae. One pore located posterior margin of coxa IV ( Fig. 3 A). The metapodal-peritrematal-exopodal shield (MPES) reticulated, with a pair of pores and one simple seta ( Fig. 3 A).

Anal shield, L = 124 (124–130); anterior W = 360 (341–360), with 7–8 pairs of simple setae ( Fig. 4 F) plus longer antero-anal seta, L = 25 (25–27), two pairs of pores, one near anterior margin, and the other below the anus.

Serrate setae on leg I are: trochanter al 1; femur I, pv 2, and pv 3; genu pl 1. Serrrate setae on leg II are: femur pv 1; genu pv 1; and tibia al 4. Serrate setae on leg III are: femur av 1; genu av 1, and pv 1; tibia ad 4 and, tarsus ad 3.

Serrate setae on leg IV: trochanter al 1, pv 1, and pl 1; femur av 1; genu av 1, pl 1, and pv 1; tibia ad 4; tarsus ad 2, and ad 3. Seta pv 1 of leg femur IV large, L = 28 (25–32).

Male (n = 5)

Body oval, similar to female. Idiosoma, L = 684–723, W = 506–531 ( Fig. 3 B). Presternal shield, L = 50–56, anterior W = 93–96, is shagreened, presternal notch shaped like an inverted triangle, moderately deep ( Fig. 3 B). Sternal seta st 1, L = 19–22, serrate, near to anterior margin. Sternal seta st 2, L = 14–19, serrated, seta st 3, L = 7–9 simple, and seta st 4 a microseta. Sternal shield reticulated, L = 62–76 ( Fig. 3 B). Genital opening oval, L = 47–50, W = 71–74. Ventral shield with 32–34 setae ( Fig. 3 B), L = 248–279, W = 403–419, shagreened, laterally reticulated. One pore near the anterior margin of coxa IV. Anal shield, L = 124–127, anterior W = 326–372, with 6–7 pairs of simple setae, plus longer antero-anal seta L = 25–31; with two pores, one near the anterior margin and the other below the anus. Hypostomal seta hyp 1 is long and simple, L = 47–56, seta hyp 2 is serrate and long, L = 33– 37, while seta hyp 3 is serrate and shorter, L = 9–16. Seta pv 1 serrated on coxa IV, L = 20–31.

Diagnosis. Sternal, latigynal, sternogynal, and ventral shields are reticulated, and setae st 1, st 2, and st 3 are serrated. Mesogynal shield with posterior margin wide. Male has sternal shield reticulated and st 1 and st 2 serrated.

Remarks. Klinckowstroemia melissae sp. nov. is similar to K. victoriae Rosario & Hunter and K. pennula sp. nov., because these species have latigynal shields with wavy medial margins. These species are distinguished by the genital shields, which in K. melissae are reticulated and K. victoriae are shagreened, and body length and width ( K. melissae L = 723–736, W = 518–531; K. victoriae L = 834–872, W = 570–616). K. pennula and K. melissae share the number of setae on latigynal and ventral shields. These species are distinguished by length of sternogynal shield ( K. pennula L = 50–62; K. melissae L = 28–34); and setae st 1 is simple in K. pennula , and serrated in K. melissae . Male in K. pennula has anterior margin of presternal shield concave and in K. pennula it is rounded.

Etymology. This species is named in honour of Melissa Rodriguez, for her friendship, patience and support the senior author during this research; many thanks Bichita.

Material examined. From undescribed Pseudacanthus sp.: holotype Ƥ ( CNAC 006729), 4 Ƥ and 5 33 ( CNAC 006730-6738) paratypes from Oaxaca, Mexico, 7 km. E San Pedro-San Pablo Ayutla, Ixtlán de Juárez (17 35. 293’ N, 96 27. 162’ W), 2,459 m., 20 July 2007, mountain rain forest, ex three beetles, O. Francke, A. Valdez, C. Santibañez, A. Ballesteros, and H. Montaño. Mites were found on femur, near to coxa I, and in the alcohol. Holotype female, 4 paratype females, and 5 paratype males deposited in the CNAC.

Ecology. The species K. melissae and K. pennula were found together on three specimens of an undescribed Pseudacanthus sp. Two of these passalids were living in the same log, and the other passalid beetle was collected in the same locality and day. Specimens of K. pennulae were more abundant than K. melissae ; this is the first case where two species found on the same host (synhospitality) are almost the same size. In other known cases of synhospitality one mite species is larger than the other ( Villegas-Guzman et al. 2009).

Figures

FIGURE 3. Klinckowstroemia melissae sp. nov. (A) Body female ventral view, scale = 200 µm. (B) Body male ventral view, scale = 200 µm.

FIGURE 4. Klinckowstroemia melissae sp. nov. Female: (A) Genital shield. (B) Gnathosoma. (C) Presternal and seta st 1. (D) Seta st 1. (E) Sternal shield. (F) Anal shield. Male: (G). Presternal and seta st 1. (H) Sternal shield.