Diversipes laticaudatus, Khaustov & Minor, 2018

Khaustov, Alexander A. & Minor, Maria A., 2018, New species and a new record of the mite family Scutacaridae (Acari: Heterostigmata) from alpine New Zealand, Zootaxa 4508 (4), pp. 507-550 : 513-518

Diversipes laticaudatus sp. nov.

( Figs 7–11 )

Description. FEMALE ( Figs 7–11 ). Length of idiosoma 190 (175–190), width 150 (130–150).

Gnathosoma . Length of gnathosoma 25 (23–26), width 19 (17–19). Gnathosoma completely covered by tergite C. Dorsal median apodeme indistinct. Cheliceral setae distinctly barbed, pointed. Setae cha 15 (14–16), chb 18 (17–19). Postpalpal setae not evident. Setae dFe and dGe smooth, pointed, subequal. Ventral surface of gnathosoma not visible in all available specimens. Pharyngeal pumps indistinct.

Idiosomal dorsum ( Figs 7A , 10A , 11A ). Free margins of tergite C not striated. All dorsal shields with small round dimples ( Fig. 11A ). Prodorsum completely covered by tergite C. Lateral propodosomal spine absent. Stigmata round, located ventrally. Setae v 2 and sc 2 smooth, other dorsal setae barbed. Setae e, h 1 and h 2 pointed, other dorsal setae blunt-ended. Trichobothria with long stem, clavate, sparsely barbed, with slightly attenuated apex. Cupules ia on tergite D and ih on tergite H small, round. Posterior margin of tergite H with long and narrow projection. Lengths of dorsal setae: v 2 3 (3), sc 2 4 (4), c 1 23 (20–24), c 2 27 (22–27), d 32 (27–32), e 66 (58–67), f 46 (40–47), h 1 55 (46–56), h 2 61/43 (55–62). Distances between setae: v 2 –v 2 67 (63–67), sc 2 –sc 2 64 (58–64), c 1 – c 1 53 (47–54), c 1 – c 2 40 (35–40), d–d 65 (56–66), e–f 33 (27–33), f–f 34 (27–34), h 1 – h 1 21 (18–22), h 1 – h 2 20 (17–20).

Idiosomal venter ( Figs 7B , 10B , 11 B–D). Ventral plates with small dimples as on dorsal shields ( Figs 11 B–D). Setae 2 b blunt-ended, other ventral setae pointed. Setae 2 b and ps 2 smooth, other ventral setae strongly barbed. Setae ps 1 and ps 3 distinctly thickened and flattened ( Fig. 11D ). Setae ps 2 located posteriorly to ps 1. Posterior margin of aggenital plate weakly concave. Secondary transverse apodeme (sta) present. Ap2 well developed, forming wlike structure; ap3 indistinct, ap4 long, reaching beyond bases of setae 3 b; ap5 absent. Ags horn-like; pgs triangular. Lengths of ventral setae: 1 a 32 (28–33), 1 b 26 (22–26), 2 a 30 (25–30), 2 b 18 (16–18), 3 a 53 (45–54), 3 b 53 (40–53), 3 c 42 (34–43), 4 a 38 (33–38), 4 b 66 (59–67), 4 c 61 (55–62), ps 1 44 (38–44), ps 2 4 (4–5), ps 3 41 (36– 41).

Legs ( Figs 8A, B , 9 ). Leg I ( Fig. 8A ). Leg setation: Tr 1, Fe 2, Ge 3, TiTa 15(4). Tibiotarsus without pretarsus and claw. Tibiotarsus cylindrical, without pinnaculum. Lengths of solenidia ω 1 13 (11–13), ω 2 3 (3), φ 1 7 (6–7), φ 2 7 (7); φ 1 clavate, ω 1 finger-shaped, ω 2 and φ 2 uniformly thin. Eupathidia (ft) vestigial. Setae v” of femur, v’ of genu and s of tibiotarsus absent. Seta l’ of femur blunt-ended; other leg setae (except eupathidia) pointed. Setae v’ of trochanter and l’ of femur smooth; other leg setae (except eupathidia) barbed. Leg II ( Fig. 8B ). Leg setation: Tr 1, Fe 2, Ge 3, Ti 4(1), Ta 6(1). Tarsus with symmetrical padded claws and flipper-like empodium. Solenidion ω 13 (11–13) finger-shaped, solenidion φ 5 (5) weakly clavate. Seta v” of femur absent. All leg setae barbed. Setae l’ of femur and u’ of tarsus weakly blunt-ended, other leg setae pointed. Leg III ( Fig.9A ). Leg setation: Tr 1, Fe 2, Ge 2, Ti 4(1), Ta 6. Claws and empodium as on tarsus II. Solenidion φ 6 (5–6) weakly clavate. All leg setae barbed. Setae d of femur and u’ of tarsus weakly blunt-ended, other leg setae pointed. Leg IV ( Fig. 9B ). Leg setation: Tr 1, Fe 2, Ge 1, Ti 3, Ta 6. Tarsus long and narrow, without claws and small flipper-like empodium. Pretarsus long. Solenidion φ absent. All leg setae distinctly barbed. Seta d of femur blunt-ended, other leg setae pointed.

MALE and LARVA unknown.

Type material. Female holotype: New Zealand, Central Otago, Old Man’s Range , 45° 20' 3.78"S, 169° 12' 25.26"E, 1649 m a.s.l., in bare soil between cushion plants, 17 February 2014 (M. Minor). Paratypes : 1 female, Central Otago, Old Man’s Range , 45° 20' 3.78"S, 169° 12' 25.26"E, 1649 m a.s.l., in soil and debris under Dracophyllum muscoides cushion plant, 17 February 2014 (M. Minor) ; 2 females, Central Otago, Old Man’s Range , 45° 20' 3.78"S, 169° 12' 25.26"E, 1649 m a.s.l., in bare soil between cushion plants, 17 February 2014 (M. Minor) ; 1 female, New Zealand, Central Otago, Old Man’s Range , 45° 19' 7.60" S, 169° 12' 11.49" E, 1655 m a.s.l., in bare soil between cushion plants, 17 February 2014 (M. Minor) ; 2 females, New Zealand, Central Otago, Pisa Range , 44° 52' 18.79"S, 169° 10' 30.39"E, 1880 m a.s.l., in soil and debris under Dracophyllum muscoides cushion plants, 18 February 2014 (M. Minor) .

Type deposition. The holotype and 2 paratypes are deposited in the New Zealand National Arthropod Collection, Auckland, New Zealand ; 4 paratypes are deposited in the mite collection of the Tyumen State University Museum of Zoology , Tyumen, Russia .

Differential diagnosis. The new species is most similar to Diversipes sineunguibus Khaustov, 2015 , described from Chile ( Khaustov 2015) by the absence of claws on tarsus IV, absence of setae v” on femora I and II and similar lengths of dorsal idiosomal setae. It can be distinguished from the latter by the presence of setae ps 2 (vs. absent in D. sineunguibus ), by absence of setae v’ on genu I and s on tibiotarsus I (vs. present in D. sineunguibus ), by vestigial eupathidia (ft) (vs. well developed in D. sineunguibus ), and by distinctly thickened setae ps 1 and ps 3 (vs. slightly thickened in D. sineunguibus ).

Etymology. The name of the new species is a combination of two words: Latin latus meaning wide, and caudus meaning tail, and refers to the thickened pseudanal setae.

Figures

FIGURE 7. Diversipes laticaudatus sp. nov., female: A—dorsum of the body, B—venter of the body. Legs omitted.

FIGURE 8. Diversipes laticaudatus sp. nov., female: A—right leg I in dorsal view, B—right leg II in dorsal view, Cprodorsal setae.

FIGURE 9. Diversipes laticaudatus sp. nov., female: A—right leg III in dorsal view, B—right leg IV in ventral view.

FIGURE 10. DIC micrographs of Diversipes laticaudatus sp. nov., female: A—dorsal view, B—ventral view.

FIGURE 11. DIC micrographs of Diversipes laticaudatus sp. nov., female: A—central part of tergites C and D, B—anterior half of the body in ventral view, C—posterior sternal plate, D—opisthosoma in ventral view.