Polyaspis (Polyaspis) madagascarensis, Kontschán, Jenő & Starý, Josef, 2014

Kontschán, Jenő & Starý, Josef, 2014, New species of Uropodina from Madagascar (Acari: Mesostigmata), Zootaxa 3895 (4), pp. 547-569 : 548

Polyaspis (Polyaspis) madagascarensis sp. nov.

( Figs 1–11 )

Material examined. Holotype. Female. Mad-89/1: Madagascar (Prov. Toamasina [Tamatave], Sous-préf. Moramanga): Réserve Analamazoatra (Perinet) près d’Andasibe, forêt primaire, prélèvement de sol au pied d’un grand arbre mort, 960 m; 21 November 1989; B. Hauser coll. Paratypes. Six females and one male. Locality and date same as holotype ( NHMG).

Description. Female. Length of idiosoma 1080–1100 µm width 660–670 µm (n=7). Idiosoma oval, colour yellowish-white.

Dorsal idiosoma ( Fig. 1 ). Dorsal shield covered by fine dotted sculptural pattern on lateral areas, bearing 13 pairs of spatulate setae, setae on central area (ca 36–48 µm) shorter than those on lateral parts of dorsal shield (ca 54–57 µm). Pygidial shield present, its shape quadrangular, without setae and sculptural pattern. Marginal and caudal parts of dorsal idiosoma covered by membranous cuticle and bearing 12 pairs of long (ca 68–72 µm) and spatulate setae ( Fig. 2 ), two pairs of spatulate setae posterior to pygidial shield shorter (ca 40–42 µm) than others.

Ventral idiosoma ( Fig. 3 ). Ventral idiosoma with a compound horseshoe-shaped shield formed by fusion of metasternal and endopodal elements with the anterior part of the sternal shield; this compound shield ornamented by oval pits near bases of coxae II–IV. Posterior section of sternal shield egg-shaped, surrounded by soft integument; its anterior section peaked and smooth, posterior section rounded and covered by oval pits. Five pairs of sternal setae needle-like and smooth (ca 15–19 µm). St1 inserted near anterior margin of horseshoe-like shield; St2 situated on very small platelets near anterior margin of sternal shield, St3, St4 and St5 situated on sternal shield, St3 near anterior margin of genital shield, St4 at level of central area of coxae III, St5 at level of central area of coxae IV. Anterior margin of metapodal shields abutting peritrematal shields, but fused only in lateral areas. Metapodal shields bearing two pairs of long (ca 53–56 µm) and spatulate setae, covered by web-like sculptural pattern near setae and by oval pits near posterior margins. One pair of short (ca 12–15 µm) and needle-like setae situated between the metapodal shields, and three pairs long (ca 36–40 µm) and spatulate setae between metapodal and ventrianal shields. Ventrianal shield covered by numerous oval pits and bearing one pair of long (ca 68–70 µm) and wide spatulate setae on caudal margin. Adanal and postanal setae smooth, short (ca 12–13 µm) and needle-like, with web-like sculptural pattern near ad1. Genital shield quadrangular, situated between coxae III and IV, anterior area strongly sclerotised and covered by some oval pits. Peritremes short and S-shaped ( Fig. 4 ). Base of tritosternum ( Fig. 5 ) wide and pentagonal, laciniae smooth and bearing two short spine-like marginal branches.

Gnathosoma ( Fig. 5 ). Corniculi long, smooth and sword-like, internal malae smooth, narrow and shorter than corniculi. Hypostomal setae h1 and h2 short and needle-like (ca 26–28 µm and ca 14–15 µm), h3 smooth, needlelike and long (ca 62–65 µm), h4 short and apically bifurcate (ca 24–26 µm). Fixed digit of chelicerae longer than movable digit, bearing a large tooth and a needle-like seta. Movable digit curved apically and bearing one central tooth. Trochanter of palp bearing two long, robust and marginally serrate ventral setae, other setae on palp needlelike. Epistome marginally pilose ( Fig. 6 ).

Legs ( Figs 7–10 ). Leg I without ambulacral claws, all legs bearing wider or narrower lateral flap-like prolongations and both spatulate and needle-like setae.

Male. Length of idiosoma 1000 µm, width 660 µm (n=1). Sternal shield fused completely to endopodal shield and covered by oval pits ( Fig. 11 ). Sternal setae ca 11–12 µm long. Genital shield small, rounded and placed between coxae III. Other characters as in female.

Etymology. The new species is named after the island where it was collected.

Remarks. Currently only other two Polyapsis ( Polyaspis ) species are recorded from the Ethiopian region. Polyapsis (P.) potchefstroomi Ryke 1956 was described from South Africa, and P. (P.) africanus Kontschán, 2006 from Tanzania. These species may be distinguished as follows:

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 4. Polyapis (Polyaspis) madagascarensis sp. nov. holotype, female. 1. Body in dorsal view. 2. Marginal setae. 3. Body in ventral view. 4. Peritreme.

FIGURES 5 – 11. Polyapis (Polyaspis) madagascarensis sp. nov. holotype, female. 5. Ventral view of gnathosoma, palp, tritosternum and coxae I. 6. Epistome. 7. Leg I. 8. Leg II. 9. Leg III. 10. Leg IV. 11. Intercoxal area of male paratype.