Wetapolipus Husband & Zhang

Husband, Robert W. & Zhang, Zhi-Qiang, 2002, Wetapolipus jamiesoni gen. nov., spec. nov. (Acari: Podapolipidae), an ectoparasite of the mountain stone weta, Hemideina maori (Orthoptera: Anostostomatidae) from New Zealand, Zootaxa 125, pp. 1-12 : 2-4

Wetapolipus Husband & Zhang gen. nov. ( Figs. 1­3 )

Type species– Wetapolipus jamiesoni Husband & Zhang spec. nov.

Description

Female– No stigmata evident. Idiosoma longer than wide, scaled. Prodorsal plate and setae evident, plates C, D, EF not present.

Legs– 3 pairs. Pretarsi I, II, III without claws. Ambulacrum I with sucker, without ambulacra II, III. Tarsus I setae tc', tc, pl' s, pv, pl and solenidion conspicuous; tibia I solenidion evident. Tibia I setae v', tibiae II, III setae l' spinelike. Tarsi II, III with spinelike setae tc' and u. Setae 3a and 3b present.

Male– Idiosomal setae v 1, v 2, sc 1 and sc 2 present. Plates C and D fused on either side. Genital capsule posterodorsal, longer than broad, with oval opening.

Legs– 3 pairs. Ambulacrum I with a single claw, with sucker, ambulacra II, III long, with small paired claws. Tarsus I with solenidion, tibia I solenidion slender, no seta. Tibiae I seta v' and tibiae II, III seta l' spinelike. Setae 3a and 3b present.

Larval female– Cheliceral stylets, longer than length of gnathosoma. Prodorsal plate setae v 1, v 2 evident. Setae sc 2 longer than distance between bases of setae sc 2. Idiosomal plates C and D fused. Setae h 1 long, setae h 2 short.

Legs– Ambulacrum I with 2 claws, ambulacra II, III long, with small paired claws. Coxal setae 3a and 3b present.

Remarks

Genera of ectoparasitic podapolipid mites of Orthoptera worldwide are: Locustacarus Ewing 1924 , Orthapolipus Husband and Li 1993 , Podapolipoides Regenfuss 1968 and Podapolipus Rovelli and Grassi 1888 and the genus described herein. Wetapolipus and Orthapolipus are genera described from Orthoptera Ensifera. Wetapolipus is the only genus from Orthoptera to have more than 2 pairs of legs in the adult female, males with posterodorsal genital capsules and larval females with coxal setae 3a.

Nine genera of Podapolipidae , all parasites of Coleoptera, have adult females with 3 pairs of legs: 3 scarab beetle parasites, Tarsopolipus Berlese 1911 , Scarabapolipus Husband and Kurosa 1993 , and Stenopolipus Husband 1984 ; 4 carabid parasites, Eutarsopolipus Berlese 1913 , Dorsipes Regenfuss 1968 , Ovacarus Stannard and Vaishampayan 1971 , and Regenpolipus Husband 1986; 1 curculionid parasite, Rhynchopolipus ( Husband and Flechtmann 1972) . The 10th genus with 3 pairs of legs, Wetapolipus from Orthoptera , is the only genus to have spinelike tibia I seta v' and spinelike tibiae II, III seta l' in male, female and larval female instars and scaled adult females.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Wetapolipus jamiesoni Husband & Zhang gen. nov., spec. nov. (adult female). A. Ventral aspect, B. Prodorsal plate, C. Top to bottom, legs I, II, III dorsal and ventral aspects.

FIGURE 2. Wetapolipus jamiesoni Husband & Zhang gen. nov., spec. nov. (male).

FIGURE 3. Wetapolipus jamiesoni Husband & Zhang gen. nov., spec. nov. (larval female).