Picobia pteroclesi, Skoracki & Oconnor, 2010

Skoracki, Maciej & Oconnor, Barry, 2010, New taxa of quill mites (Acari: Cheyletoidea: Syringophilidae), Zootaxa 2341 (1), pp. 1-32 : 27-29

Picobia pteroclesi sp. nov.

( Figs 78–88 )

Description. FEMALE ( Figs 78–83 ). Total body length of holotype 870 (795–880 in ten paratypes). Gnathosoma . Infracapitulum densely punctated. Hypostomal apex hilly, flanked by pair of small hypostomal teeth ( Fig. 80 ). Each transverse branch of peritremes with 6–7 chambers, each longitudinal branch with 10–11 chambers. Stylet of movable digit 255 (235–255) long. Stylophore rounded posteriorly, densely punctated, 285 (280–285) long. Idiosoma . Propodonotal shield divided into 3 fragments, 2 lateral sclerites punctated and sculptured, bearing bases of setae vi, ve, si, and se. Setae se situated slightly posterior to level of setae c1. Length ratio of setae vi: ve: si 1:1.6–1.8:1.9:2.2. Hysteronotal and pygidial shields absent. Setae d1 situated equidistant between setae d2 and e. All dorsal setae smooth ( Fig. 81 ). Setae f2 1.6 times longer than f1. Aggenital setae ag1 and ag3 subequal in length, both twice longer than ag2. Pseudanal series with 2 pairs of setae, genital series with 1 pair of setae ( Fig. 82 ). Cuticular striations as in Figs 78 and 79 . Legs. Coxal fields and podomeres of legs I–II covered by minute punctations. Apodemes I slightly divergent, apodemes of legs III and IV indiscernible. Claws of legs III-IV subequal in size ( Fig. 83 ). Setae tc’ and tc” of legs III–IV subequal in length. Setae 3c 3.3–4.3 times longer than 3b. Length of setae: vi 125 (125–135), ve 230 (215– 230), si 280 (250–275), se 395 (375–390), c1 (340), c2 395 (340–385), d1 320 (305–320), d2 340 (340–350), e 290 (230–285), f1 50 (50), f2 80 (75–80), h1 40 (40–50), h2 520 (445–530), ps1 and ps2 10 (10), g 20 (20), ag1 195 (175–195), ag2 95 (85–105), ag3 195 (180–205), tc’III–IV 95 (90–95), tc”III–IV 95 (90–95), 3b 45 (45–55), 3c 195 (180–195), sc3 45 (45).

MALE ( Figs 84–88 ). Total body length 555–580 in three paratypes. Gnathosoma . Infracapitulum not punctated. Hypostomal apex hilly, without hypostomal teeth ( Fig. 84 ). Each transverse branch of peritremes with 6–7 chambers, each longitudinal branch with 10–11 chambers ( Fig. 85 ). Stylet of movable digit 100–110, long. Stylophore rounded posteriorly, without punctations, 150 long. Idiosoma . Propodonotal shield divided into three fragments, two lateral sclerites punctated and sculptured, bearing bases of setae vi, ve, si and se. Setae se and c1 situated at same transverse level. Length ratio of setae vi: ve: si 1:1.7–2:2–2.2. Hysteronotal shield rectangular in shape, not fused to pygidial shield, bearing bases of setae d1 and e. Setae d2 situated equidistant to setae d2 and e. Length ratio of setae e: d1: d2 1:2.8–3:2.2–2.9. All dorsal setae smooth. Setae h 7–8 times longer than f. Aggenital series with two pairs of setae. Ano-genital region as in fig. 86. Aedeagus 205 long. Cuticular striations as in figures 87 and 88. Legs. Coxal fields well sclerotized. Apodemes I parallel, apodemes of legs III and IV discernible. Setae tc’ and tc” of legs III–IV subequal in length. Setae 3c 2.7–2.8 times longer than 3b. Length of setae: vi 105–115, ve 190–205, si 225–230, se 260–285, c1 255–270, c2 250– 270, d1 200–230, d2 250–255, e 80–90, f 45, h 320–370, ag1 125–135, ag2 80–120, tc’III–IV 50–60, tc”III– IV 50–60, 3b 45, 3c 125–135, sc3 35.

Type material. Female holotype, 16 female, 3 males 2 tritonymph and 1 protonymph paratypes ( BMOC 83–0307–33) ex. Pterocles senegallus (Linnaeus) ( Pteroclidiformes : Pteroclididae ), EGYPT: Red Sea Governate, Wadi el Metuli, 45 km. E. 31 January 1983, coll. H. Touharny and S.M. Goodman.

Type deposition. All material is deposited at UMMZ, except 2 female and 1 male paratypes in ZISP , 1 female paratype in AMU .

Additional material. 24 females, 1 male, and 2 tritonymphs ( BMOC 83–0307 – 43 ) from Pterocles coronatus Lichtenstein ; EGYPT: Red Sea Governate, Bir Beida , 6.5 km. W. Quseir, 4 February 1983, coll. S.M. Goodman and I. Helmy.

Etymology. The name pteroclesi refers to the generic name of the host.

Differential diagnosis. Picobia pteroclesi sp. nov. is morphologically similar to P. modularis Skoracki et Magowski, 2001 described from Prunella modularis (Linnaeus) ( Passeriformes : Prunellidae ) from Poland ( Skoracki & Magowski 2001). In females of both species setae vi are situated anteriorly to the level of setae ve, setae h2 are longer than h1, the pseudanal series with two pairs of setae, the antaxial and paraxial claws of legs III and IV are subequal in size, and the hysteronotal shield is absent. This new species is distinguished from P. modularis by the following characters: in females of P. pteroclesi sp. nov., the hypostomal apex is hilly, the longitudinal branch of the peritremes has several distinct chambers, the propodonotal shield consists of three fragments, and propodonotal setae are smooth; in males, setae d1 are longer than e. In females of P. modularis , the hypostomal apex is tapering, longitudinal branch of the peritremes is short and with indiscernible borders between chambers, the propodonotal shield is not divided, and propodonotal setae are knobbed; in males, setae d2 are longer than e.

Figures

FIGURES 78, 79. Picobia pteroclesi sp. n. Female. 78. Dorsal view. 79. Ventral view.

FIGURES 80–86. Picobia pteroclesi sp. n. Female. 80. Gnathosoma in ventral view (ht – hypostomal teeth). 81. Propodonotal seta vi. 82. Vulva. 83. Tarsus III in ventral view. Male. 84. Hypostomal apex in ventral view. 85. Peritreme. 86. Ano-genital opening.

FIGURES 87, 88. Picobia pteroclesi sp. n. Male. 87. Dorsal view. 88. Ventral view.