Protogamasellus mica (Athias-Henriot)

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 : 26

Protogamasellus mica (Athias-Henriot)

Rhodacarellus mica Athias-Henriot, 1961: 488 .

Protogamasellus primitivus Karg, 1962: 54 ; Genis et al., 1967: 339.

Protogamasellus mica .— Lindquist & Evans, 1965: 44; Evans, 1982: 306; Karg, 1993: 341; Halliday et al., 1998: 40.

Material examined: 142 females, 02.x.1998, 19 females, 28.vi.1999, from soil of a corn field; 1 female, 02.vii.1999, from litter of a patch of secondary forest.

Previous records: Germany ( Karg 1962, 1993); Algeria ( Athias-Henriot 1961); South Africa ( Genis et al. 1967); Ireland ( Evans 1982); southeastern USA ( Walter & Kaplan 1990); Australia and North America ( Halliday et al. 1998).

Diagnosis: Adults weakly sclerotized, small, idiosomal length 235–260 µm. Anterior margin of tectum denticulate, sometimes weakly triramous. Movable digit of chelicera with two strong teeth on apical half and a row of 6 or 7 smaller closely-set teeth on proximal half, the latter apposing similar teeth proximally on fixed digit. Hypostome with 7 narrow transverse rows of deutosternal denticles, each with 6–10 denticles; corniculus slender, sinuous, pointed distally. Podonotal shield faintly lineate along antero-lateral margins, otherwise unornamented on most of surface except for an anteriorly-arched transverse line at bases of setae j2, a transverse line at level of bases of setae j4, 3 sclerotized markings in medial hexagonal area between setae j5 and z5, and a transverse line at level of setal bases z6 and s6, behind which shield desclerotized; podonotal shield with 17 pairs of simple setae of similarly moderate length except vertical and paravertical pairs j1 and z1 shorter, setae j2 posterior to transverse alignment with j1 and z1; setae s2 and marginals r2-r5 on lateral soft cuticle. Opisthonotal shield unornamented except for a transverse line running from margin on either side to bases of setae J1, line usually interrupted between J1; shield with 15 pairs of setae of similarly moderate length, generally nearly as long as longitudinal intervals between their bases, except clunal pair J5 shorter; marginal setae R1-R6 and two pairs of submarginal UR setae on lateral soft cuticle. Third pair of sternal poroids on weakly defined posterior edge of sternal shield; setae st4 on weakly sclerotized metasternal platelets. Ventri-anal shield unornamented, with pair of U- or V- shaped notches on its anterior margin usually reaching to level of setae JV1; shield with 5 pairs of opisthogastric setae and the 3 circum-anal setae, all simple; anal opening enlarged, post-anal seta and para-anal seta similarly short in length, para-anals inserted at level of anterior margin of anus; shield flanked anteriorly by pair of opisthogastric setae ZV1 on soft cuticle. Peritremes extending anteriorly to level of marginal setae r4 (posterior margins of coxae II).

Remarks: The holotype of Rhodacarellus mica Athias-Henriot was examined by one of us (EEL, unpublished, 1972), with conclusion in accord with a subsequent examination by Evans (1982) that this species is conspecific with, and a senior synonym of, Protogamasellus primitivus Karg , the type-species of the genus Protogamasellus Karg, 1962 . The dorsal shields and ventri-anal shield of Brazilian specimens are slightly smaller than reported by Evans (1982). This species is thelytokous and has a cosmopolitan distribution in soil, fungal and subcortical habitats ( Walter & Kaplan 1990; Halliday et al. 1998).