Pedrocortesella subula, Hunt, 1996

Hunt, Glenn S., 1996, A review of the genus Hexachaetoniella Paschoal in Australia (Acarina: Cryptostigmata: Pedrocortesellidae), Records of the Australian Museum 48 (3), pp. 223-286 : 276-279

Pedrocortesella subula n.sp.

Figs 41 , 42

Type material. Queensland: HOLOTYPE adult, ANIC, 2 km W. of Chillagoe , 17° 09'S 144°31'E, deciduous vine thicket, 330 m, ANIC litter berlesate 341, Taylor & Feehan, 28 June 1971 . PARATYPES: AM KS43672 , same data as holotype, 2 adults ; QM, same data, 2 adults ; WAM, same data, 2 adults ; ANIC, same data, 44 adults ; FMNH, same data, 2 adults ; CNC, same data, 2 adults ; AM KS46526 SEM stub no. SI 203 (ill), same data, 4 adults ; AM KS46527 SEM stub no. S/206 (ill.), same data, 3 adults ; AM KS46528 SEM stub no. S/342 (ill.), same data, 3 adults .

Other material examined. Western Australia: AM KS46529 , SEM stub no. S/llO (ill.), 14 km S. by E. of Kalumburu Mission , CALM site 4/3, 14°25'S 128°40'E, closed forest, litter, ANIC berlesate 1076, TA Weir, 3- 6 June 1988, 5 adults ; AM KS43673 , same data, 8 adults ; WAM, same data 7 adults ; ANIC, same data, 10 adults ; AM KS46530 , SEM stub no. SI159 (ill.), 5.6 km W. of Evelyn Island , 14°07'S 127°31'E, rainforest, berlesate litter, CALM site 10/2, CALM staff, 25 -31 January 1989, 4 adults ; WAM, same data, 1 adult ; AM KS43674 , same data, 2 adults .

Diagnosis. Body medium sized, length about 600-650).lm; scalps rarely (if at all) carried by adult; sensillus with long flattened tuberculate blade; notogaster densely punctate, with caudal notch when viewed from above, 5 pairs of notogastral setae, with cerotegument they are leaf-shaped; genital and anal vestibules close; genitoanal chaetotaxy 7:1:2:3, genital setae in slightly arcuate file, level of insertion of ad3 at about half length of anal valve; claw stalk short.

Description

ADULT: Body: brownish; length of 2 specimens from Chillagoe is 600 f.!m, 645 f.!m. Cerotegument: body generally with thin veneer of cerotegument; reticulations on prodorsum and notogaster and rim of bothridium highlighted with cushion-like tubercles of cerotegument which may coalesce into crests; basic stellate nature of tubercles evident in side view (Fig. 42D). Setae ro and le and notogastral setae without obvious cerotegument. Legs with cerotegument capping the reticulate surface ornamentation which is of much lower relief than in P. propinqua . Prodorsum: integument divided into 3 fields: rostral field with loose reticulation pattern with some crests coalescing into a carina anterior to and posterior to setae le; a strongly reticulate-alveolate field anterior to median transverse furrow, alveoli perforated by pore; a bothridial field with reticulations, pores and carinae ( Fig. 41B ). le dorsolateral, distance between them about 0.7 distance between ro, not arising from large pit, ro ventrolateral. Pedotectal tooth similar to P propinqua . Bothridium abutting notogaster (Fig. 42D), wall more rounded than in P propinqua ; posterolateral carina weak, carina of similar strength anteriorly, bothridium abutting but not closely adpressed to notogaster; sensillus length about 0.75 interbothridial distance, with long flattened tuberculate blade. in small, set almost one bothridial diameter from bothridial rim and somewhat away from dorsosejugal suture level with anterior ofbothridium, spiniform but largely encased in cerotegument (Fig. 42D). Exuvial scalps: none seen. Notogaster: oval but wide, length:width 425:330. Intramarginal depression oval; central plateau weakly developed. Dorsum densely punctate ( Fig. 41A,D ). Posterior margin weakly invaginate when viewed from above, with weak mesal carina ventral to setae pI when viewed posteriorly. Fissura small; ia and im oblique and ip perpendicular to sagittal plane. 5 pairs of conspicuous awl-shaped notogastral setae; hI very widely separated, not converging at their tips, each located just inside posterior margin; pI inserted high on posterior flank, further apart than hI; lpx, p2x and p3x arise inside posterolateral flank, their insertions clearly visible from above, lpx and p2x equidistant to fissura ip, lpx inserted posterior to it ( Fig. 41E ). Gnathosoma : pedipalp not examined. Rutella basally with moderate concave flexure and moderate lateral buttressing, pointed mesad processes and transverse striations absent. Epimeral region: convex immediately anterior to genital valves though not tending to overhang them. Genitoanal region: separation of anal and genital vestibules relatively narrow with deep transverse grooves and a narrow isthmus between the vestibules (Fig. 42A). Entire venter punctate, though less densely than notogaster. Genitoanal chaetotaxy 7:I:2:3; genital setae in slightly arcuate file, gI slightly longer than other setae, inserted near inner anterior corner; g5 situated at about 0.5 valve length, g7 inserted anterior to inner posterior corner, not in notch; setae ag inserted at level posterior to g6; setae adI distinctly postanal, more so than P propinqua , ad3 level with about 0.5 length of anal valve. Legs. Distal apophysis of tibia overlaps about 50% of tarsus (Fig. 42E). Tarsal cluster of leg I placed distodorsally on apophysis, above and slightly proximal to setae tc; fi" enclosed in its own rim; omega I and 2 within a separate rim, widely separated and shorter than fi"; tarsus lacking distal recess for receiving retracted unguinal complex, stalk short.

Variation. The two populations in Western Australia have thinner leaf-shaped notogastral setae due to a lesser accumulation of cerotegument ( Fig. 41G ).

Comments. Pedrocortesella subula appears most closely related to another northern Australian species, P. calmorum , in the form of the notogaster, but differs in having leafshaped notogastral setae and less body cerotegument.

Etymology. The specific epithet is a Latin noun in apposition meaning "awl" in reference to the shape of the notogastral setae.

Distribution. Tropical northern Australia.

Figures

Fig. 41. Pedrocortesella subula n.sp. A, body, dorsal; B, prodorsum, dorsal; C, prodorsum, frontal; D, notogastral integument and fissura im; E, notogaster, posterior, dorsal, arrows right to left label setae hi, pi, lpx, p2x, p3x; F-G, notogastral setae hi and pi, posterior view. Scale bars: A 100 /-tm; B,C,F,G 50 /-tm; D = 20 /-tm. A,B, D-F = Chillagoe; C = Evelyn Island; G = Kalumbure Mission.