Proctolaelaps diffissus Karg

De, Jeferson L., Lindquist, Evert E. & De, Gilberto J., 2009, Edaphic ascid mites (Acari: Mesostigmata: Ascidae) from the state of São Paulo, Brazil, with description of five new species, Zootaxa 2024, pp. 1-32 : 20-22

Proctolaelaps diffissus Karg

( Figs 47–50 )

Proctolaelaps diffissus Karg, 1976: 535 –36.

Proctolaelaps (Proctofissus) diffissus .— Karg, 1985: 200; Karg, 1988: 453.

Diagnosis: Adult female with apex of corniculus split into 3 points ( Fig.47 ); anterior hypostomatic setae thickened, spinelike; fixed digit of chelicera with row of 12–14 teeth, movable digit weakly tridentate and with basal paraxial ridge devoid of teeth in apposition to proximal teeth of fixed digit ( Fig. 48 ); tectum variably 3-tined, median tine wider and usually larger and smoothly triangular, lateral tines often reduced; dorsal shield deeply emarginate nearly to setae z2, at level between s1 and s2, ornamented over much of surface but smooth between setae j5-j6, opisthonotal region primarily transversely lineate between the J - and the Z -series to the level of Z4, but primarily longitudinally lineate more laterally, from S1 to S4 ( Fig. 49 ), dorsal shield with 42 pairs of setae, 22 pairs on podonotal region, z3 absent, and 20 pairs on opisthonotal region, including R1-R5 (R6 on soft cuticle); dorsal shield setae mostly of moderate length, mostly 22–30 µm long and ca. 0.4–0.8 as long as distance to insertion of next seta in series; r3, Z5 and to lesser extent j1 and S5 thicker than other setae, Z4-Z5 slightly barbed, Z5 longest (63–68 µm), Z2 little more than half as long as Z1 and Z3; sternal and genital shields entirely reticulated; 4th pair of sternal setae and third pair of sternal poroids on metasternal plates; anal shield obovate, reticulate, widest at level of enlarged anal opening; opisthogastric soft cuticle with 11 pairs of setae including R6; SV1 absent; exopodal plate a continuous strip alongside coxae II–IV, not consolidated with peritrematal shield alongside coxae II–III, but moderately broadly connected with latter beside and behind coxa IV; leg IV with telotarsal seta pd -2 and basitarsal seta pd -3 elongated, erect, slightly longer than tibia, and with femoral seta pd -1 stout, erect as macroseta, slightly longer (53–60 µm) than any of dorsal setae on genu and tibia.

Material examined: 3 females, 02.x.1998, 5 females, 21.xii.1998 and 1 female, 28.vi.1999, from soil of a patch of secondary forest; 2 female, 02.x.1998, from soil of a corn field; 9 females, 09.x.1998, 21 female, 04.i.1999, 5 females, 05.iv.1999 and 11 females, 02.vii.1999, from litter of a patch of secondary forest; 11 females, 09.x.1998 and 5 females, 04.i.99, from litter of a patch of rubber tree plantation.

Previous records. Originally recorded from Chile, from a variety of habitats including moss, grass, mulch and moist forest soil ( Karg 1976).

Remarks: The following notes are based on the examination by one of us (EEL, 2004) of several females of the type series of this species. The dorsal shield ornamentation differs considerably on the opisthogastric region from that shown in the original description; it is primarily transversely lineate between the J - and Z - series to the level of Z4, but primarily longitudinally lineate laterad that region ( Fig. 49 ). The dorsal shield setae are not so similar in length as shown in the original description; j2 (13–15 µm) is much shorter than j1 (28–30 µm) and j3 (26–29 µm), S1-S3 (12–15 µm) are abruptly shorter than S4-S5 (23-26 µm), and Z2 (14–17 µm) is clearly shorter than Z1 (23–25 µm) and Z3 (24–27 µm). A pair of endopodal strips are well developed beside coxae III–IV and abut or connect with the endopodal extensions of the sternal shield beside coxae II–III. The lateral hyaline rim along the paraxial face of the chela is serrated ( Fig. 48 ). The internal mala is wider basally than shown in the original description and sparsely fringed laterally ( Fig. 47 ). The palptarsal apotele is 2-tined. The spermathecal apparatus includes a moderately long unsclerotized major duct leading from a solenostome between coxae III and IV to a level with an obvious embolus with a seemingly “blind” beginning or spur of minor duct, and a seemingly closed, weakly sclerotized, slender tubular portion ending in an unsclerotized spherical inflation (length from embolus to apex of inflation ca. 30–40 µm, distal inflated width ca. 10–12 µm) ( Fig. 50 ).

Figures

FIGURES 47 – 50. Proctolaelaps diffissus Karg. Adult female, ventral gnathosoma (47), chelicera (48), dorsal idiosoma (49), spermathecal apparatus (50).