Pachylaelaps (Longipachylaelaps) vermiger, Özbek & Halliday, 2024

Özbek, Hasan Hüseyin & Halliday, Bruce, 2024, Two new species of mites in the family Pachylaelapidae from Türkiye (Acari: Mesostigmata), Zootaxa 5514 (4), pp. 319-337 : 326-328

Pachylaelaps (Longipachylaelaps) vermiger sp. nov.

( Figs 19–36 )

Diagnosis (Adults)

Dorsal setae long, more than 100 (except j1, z1, J5), extending beyond base of next posterior setae; setae j2 and j3 are similar in length, seta J4 more than four times as long as J5; a pair of posterolateral teat-like gland pores gdS4 present on postero-lateral margin of shield, gdZ1 not modified, subcircular; anterior ends of peritremes extend to base of setae z1. In female, soft integument with 15 pairs of setae; spermathecal apparatus well sclerotised and located between coxae III and IV, abutting anterolateral side of coxa IV, spermathecal tubes are worm-shaped, both similarly wide over their entire length and well spaced with their regularly rounded tips. In male, spermatodactyl of male almost twice as long as movable digit, tapering towards distal part and slightly widening apically; fixed digit with strong pilus dentilis, slightly directed posteriorly; palpfemur with distinct circular process, palptibiae each with two distinctly separate flat processes, one of them much longer; genu II with four processes, tibia II with two processes.

Material examined. Holotype female, Türkiye, Giresun Province (40° 59’ N, 38°51’ E), altitude 26 m a.s.l., in moss and soil, 29 October 2013 . Paratypes: four females with the same data as in holotype ; four females and one male, Tokat Province, Niksar town, Eryaba village (40° 33’ N, 36° 47’ E), alt. 688 m a.s.l., litter under Quercus sp. , 30 September 2008 ; one female and one male, Tokat Province, between the towns of Erbaa and Niksar (40° 38’ N, 36° 44’ E), alt. 276 m a.s.l., litter under Pinus sp. , 30 September 2008 ; two males, Giresun Province, between the towns of Alucra and Çamoluk (40° 15’ N, 38° 50’ E), alt. 1709 m a.s.l., litter under Pinus sp. , 26 October 2008 : one female, Tokat Province, between the towns of Reşadiye and Niksar (40° 27’ N, 37° 03’ E), alt. 354 m a.s.l., litter under yellow archangels, 8 November 2008 ; one female, Tokat Province, between the towns of Reşadiye and Niksar (40° 27’ N, 37° 02’ E), alt. 362 m a.s.l., litter under Ulmus sp. , 8 November 2008 ; one female and two males, Tokat Province, Niksar town (40° 31’ N, 36° 54’ E), alt. 326 m a.s.l., moss, 14 May 2011 ; one female and two males, Giresun Province (40° 52’ N, 38° 51’ E), alt 94 m a.s.l., litter, 12 October 2013 ; one male, Giresun Province (40° 59’ N, 38° 51’ E) alt. 26 m a.s.l., litter under Corylus sp. , 29 October 2013 : two males, Giresun Province, Köseler village (40° 55’ N, 38° 51’ E), alt. 34 m a.s.l., litter under Castanea sp. , 29 October 2013 .

Description. Female.

Dorsum ( Fig. 19 ). Dorsal shield 800–910 long and 540–600 wide, suboval and elongate (length/width 1.4– 1.62), finely and evenly reticulate over entire surface, with 30 pairs of smooth and pointed setae. Setae j1 45–55, z1 28–32, J5 24–34 long, other setae much longer (100–180), especially posterior setae longer (140–180) than anterior (100–140). All setae extend far beyond base of following setae, J4 150–170, J4/J5 4.7–6.30. A pair of posterolateral poroid structures (gdS4) with teat-like openings present between setae S4 and S5, gdZ1 not modified, normal subcircular shape.

Venter ( Figs 20 , 32 ). Sternal shield 270–290 long, 120–130 wide at level of coxae II, its surface between st1 and st2 decorated with distinct transverse lines connecting each other with faint longitudinal lines, area between st2 and st4 reticulate. Seta st1 (100–110) longest, st2 and st3 of equal length (80–85), st4 90–98 long. Genitiventral shield wider than long (length 250–290, width 270–320, length/width 0.88–0.98), ornamented with reticulate lines, with two pairs of setae. Anal shield subtriangular, 120–160 long and 170–210 wide (length/width 0.66–0.76); anus with three circum-anal setae near posterior margin of shield, ornamented with reticulate lines. Peritremes normally developed, relatively long, anterior end extending to dorsal surface and base of setae z1, but not beyond base of z1. Metapodal platelets large, free, separated from peritrematal shields. Lateral soft integument with seven pairs of marginal setae (r6, R1, R3–R7). Ventral soft integument with eight pairs of opisthogastric setae (JV2–JV5, ZV2– ZV5).

Spermathecal apparatus. Tubes worm-like, both similar in width over their entire length and well spaced with their regularly rounded tips, apically surrounded by a brown exudate (in most specimens), basal part situated between coxa III and IV, anterolaterally adjacent to coxa IV ( Figs 21 , 33 ).

Gnathosomal structures. Corniculi elongate and lanceolate. Deutosternal groove with six rows of denticles. Epistome with straight denticulate lateral margins and central projection with strong apical denticle ( Fig. 22 ). Chelicera well developed with strong subdistal teeth; movable digit about 80–88 long, with one large subdistal tooth and one distal tooth near terminal hook; fixed digit about 65–68 long (to dorsal seta), with two large subdistal teeth, one tridentate terminal hook, and one pilus dentilis ( Figs 23 , 34 ). Arthrodial brush short.

Legs. Leg setation normal for the genus ( Mašán, 2007a). Tarsus II with two spur-like distal setae, pl1 and pl2 ( Fig. 24 ).

Description. Male.

Dorsum. Dorsal shield 700–790 long 490–515 wide at the level widest point (length/width 1.37–1.52), suboval shaped, setae J4 130–150, J5 25–28, ratio of J4/J5 5–5.42 Ornamentation and dorsal chaetotaxy as for female.

Venter ( Fig. 25 ). Holoventral shield 570–640 long, 115–135 wide at the level coxae II, ornamented with reticulate pattern and bearing nine pairs of setae (plus three circum-anal setae around anus). Dorso-lateral and opisthogastric soft integument with 13 pairs of setae.

Gnathosomal stuctures. Moveable digit of chelicera 72–80 long, with one subdistal tooth and terminal hook, spermatodactyl 150–175 long, almost twice as long (2–2.25) as movable digit, narrowing towards distal part and slightly expanded apically. Fixed digit with two subdistal teeth side by side, bidentate terminal hook and a strong pilus dentilis, slightly directed posteriorly ( Figs 26 , 35 ). Palpfemur with distinct circular process connected by a seta; palptibiae each with two distinctly separate flat processes, one much longer, the shorter one with distally acuminate needle-like ( Figs 27 , 36 ).

Leg II. Femur II with large, finger-shaped, distally tapering, spur-like process connected to a seta ( Fig. 28 ); genu with four processes, one of which is connected to a seta; tibia with two processes, one of which is connected to a seta ( Figs 29, 30 ); tarsus II with a large spur-like seta pl1 ( Fig. 31 ).

Etymology. The name of this species refers to the worm-like tubes of the spermathecal system of the females.

Remarks

P. vermiger sp. nov. can be easily distinguished from most members of the subgenus Longipachylaelaps , with the exception of one species described by Koroleva (1977a), namely P. sublongisetis , using the diagnostic characters mentioned above and the detailed key to the subgenus by Mašán (2007a). These two species are similar in some morphological characters, such as longer dorsal setae, tubes of the spermathecal apparatus, spermatodactyl and appendages on the palptibia of males, and differ in the following characters; (1) The difference in shape and size of the spermathecal tubes: In P. vermiger the spermathecal tubes are worm-shaped, both similar in width over their entire length (without a widened base) and with their regularly rounded tips well spaced; in P. sublongisetis the tubes are penis-shaped, each with a slightly widened and pointed apical part and a widened basal part, both with closely spaced tips; (2) The difference in the relative length of some dorsal setae: In P. vermiger , setae j2 and j3 are similar in length, and setae J3 reach approximately the level of J5; in P. sublongisetis , setae j2 are clearly shorter than setae j3, and setae J3 clearly do not reach the bases of J5; (3) The pilus dentilis of the chelicerae is sexually dimorphic and relatively thickened in males of P. vermiger , whereas in P. sublongisetis it is thin and short in both sexes; (4) The cheliceral spermatodactyl moderately curved in the specimens of P. vermiger , whereas it is rather straight in P. sublongisetis ; (5) the shorter palptibial process of P. vermiger has a narrow laterobasal projection directed posteriorly and a distally pointed needle-like process; (6) The laterobasal margins of the epistome are denticulate in P. vermiger , but smooth in P. sublongisetis .

Figures

FIGURES 19–20. Pachylaelaps (Longipachylaelaps) vermiger sp. nov., female. 19. Dorsal shield; 20. Ventral idiosoma.

FIGURES 21–24. Pachylaelaps (Longipachylaelaps) vermiger sp. nov., female. 21. Spermathecal apparatus; 22. Epistome; 23. Chelicera; 24. Tarsus II.

FIGURES 25–31. Pachylaelaps (Longipachylaelaps) vermiger sp. nov., male. 25. Ventral idiosoma; 26. Chelicera; 27. Palp; 28. Femur II; 29. Lateral part of genu and tibia II; 30. Ventral view of genu and tibia II; 31. Tarsus II.

FIGURES 32–36. Pachylaelaps (Longipachylaelaps) vermiger sp. nov. 32. Female, ventral idiosoma; 33. Female, spermathecal apparatus; 34. Female, chelicera; 35. Male, chelicera; 36. Male, processes on palptibia.