Laelaspis pennatus Joharchi and Halliday, 2012

Joharchi, Omid, Halliday, Bruce & Saboori, Alireza, 2012, Three new species of Laelaspis Berlese from Iran (Acari: Laelapidae), with a review of the species occurring in the Western Palaearctic Region, Journal of Natural History 46 (31 - 32), pp. 1999-2018 : 2007-2009

Laelaspis pennatus Joharchi and Halliday sp. nov.

( Figure 2 )

Specimens examined

Holotype, female, Iran, Esfahan, 25 February 2011, O. Joharchi coll., in nest of Tetramorium caespitum (in JAZM) . Paratype, one female, same data as holotype (in JAZM) .

Description

Female. Dorsal idiosoma. Dorsal shield length 450–488 µm, width 324–354 µm (n = 2) ( Figure 2A ). Shield oval-shaped, with reticulation, more distinct in opisthonotal region; with 39 pairs of long setae, 22 podonotal, 17 opisthonotal, including two pairs of Zx setae between J and Z setae, almost all setae slightly swollen at base, with pointed tip ( Figure 2B ) and very long, long enough to reach well past base of next posterior setae (j6 54–69 µm, J1 59–69 µm), lateral setae thicker than central setae, almost all marginal setae including Z5 slightly serrated ( Figure 2C ), 69–75 µm long, almost double the length of J5, 40–45 µm; opisthonotal region with three unpaired supernumerary seta Jx in each specimen. Shield with five pairs of large circular to oval-shaped pores, other pores inconspicuous.

Ventral idiosoma ( Figure 2D ). Tritosternum with narrow base 20 µm long, paired pilose laciniae 54–72 µm long, pre-sternal shields absent, pre-sternal area with some weak transverse lines. Sternal shield length 109–111 µm, narrowest between coxae II (79–82 µm) widest between coxae II and III (136–146 µm), with straight anterior margin and concave posterior margin, with three pairs of smooth sternal setae, st 1 30–35 µm, st 2 37–42 µm, st 3 40–43 µm, one pair of lyrifissures adjacent to setae st 1, a pair of larger lyrifissures between st 2 and st 3; antero-lateral surface of sternal shield with lineate ornamentation, central area smooth. Metasternal platelets absent, metasternal setae st 4 (27–35 µm) and metasternal pores located in soft skin; endopodal plates II/III fused to sternal shield, endopodal plates III/IV elongate, narrow, curved. Genital shield broad, length 235–248 µm, maximum width 181–196 µm, posterior margin rounded, abutting anal shield, surface with characteristic ornamentation including distinct Λ- shaped lines and polygonal ornamentation, bearing the genital setae st 5 (50–52 µm) and two pairs of long setae (60 µm) on its lateral edges. Paragenital pores located on soft skin lateral to shield behind coxae IV. Anal shield subtriangular, length 79–89 µm, width 97–106 µm; its anterior half with lineate ornamentation and a pair of lateral pores; post-anal seta 40 µm, longer and thicker than para-anal setae, 25 µm. Opisthogastric skin with long, narrow and oval metapodal plates very close to genital shield, one metapodal plate on the right side and two on the left side in both specimens, and 15 pairs of slightly serrate setae (Jv1 67–79 µm, Jv2 67–74 µm, Jv3 52–54 µm, Jv5 77–79 µm, Zv1 22–25 µm, Zv2 37–50 µm) and five pairs of pores. Exopodal plates forming subtriangular extensions behind coxae IV, narrow elongate exopodal plates II/III not fused to peritrematal shield. Peritreme extending from coxa IV to anterior of coxa I, peritrematal shield narrow, post-stigmatal section conspicuous, with two pairs of pores.

Gnathosoma . Epistome triangular, smooth ( Figure 2E ). Hypostomal groove with six rows of denticles each bearing 6–10 small teeth, and smooth anterior transverse line ( Figure 2F ). Hypostomal seta h1 30 µm, h2 20 µm, h3 50 µm, palp coxal seta 20 µm. Corniculi robust and horn-like, reaching mid-level of palp femur. Palp chaetotaxy: trochanter 2 (v1 very thick), femur 5, genu 6, tibia 12, tarsus 15; all setae smooth and needle-like, palp tarsal claw two-tined ( Figure 2H ). Fixed digit of chelicera with a small blunt proximal tooth, followed by a slightly larger median tooth, and two small blunt distal teeth ( Figure 2G ); pilus dentilis moderately long and robust; dorsal seta short, prostrate; movable digit with two teeth; arthrodial membrane with a rounded flap and short filaments.

Legs. Legs II and III short (272–298 µm, 272–282 µm), I and IV longer (372–410 µm, 372–382 µm). Leg I: coxa 0 0/1 0/1 0, trochanter 1 0/1 1/2 1, femur 2 3/2 2/1 2 (ad2, ad3, al1, pl1 and pl2 thick), genu 2 3/2 3/1 2, tibia 2 3/2 3/1 2. Leg II: coxa 0 0/1 0/1 0, trochanter 1 0/1 1/2 1, femur 2 3/1 2/2 1, genu 2 3/1 2/1 2, tibia 2 2/1 2/1 2. Leg III: coxa 0 0/1 0/1 0, trochanter 1 0/1 0/1 1 (all setae thick), femur 1 2/1 1/0 1, genu 2 2/1 2/1 1 (ventral setae thick), tibia: 2 1/1 2/1 1(ventral setae thick). Leg IV: coxa 0 0/1 0/0 0, trochanter 1 0/1 0/1 1 (al thick), femur 1 2/1 1/0 1 (al, ad 1 and ad 2 thick), genu 2 2/1 3/0 1, tibia 2 1/1 3/1 2 (al 1 and al 2 long); all setae fine and needle-like unless otherwise noted. Tarsi I–IV with 18 setae 3 3/2 3/2 3 + mv, md. All pre-tarsi with a pair of claws and a long thin membranous ambulacrum.

Insemination structures not seen, apparently unsclerotized.

Etymology

The name pennatus (Latin penna, feather) refers to the feather-like appearance of many of the dorsal shield setae.

Notes

Laelaspis pennatus is similar to L. kamalii , but differs from it by its dorsal shield seta Z5 much longer than J5; seta v1 on the palp trochanter very thick, movable digit of chelicera with two teeth, and the genital shield narrower than that of L. kamalii .

Figures

Figure 2. Laelaspis pennatus Joharchi and Halliday sp. nov., female. (A) Dorsal shield; (B) dorsal shield seta J3; (C) dorsal shield seta Z5; (D) ventral idiosoma; (E) epistome; (F) hypostome; (G) chelicera; (H) palp tarsal claw. (Note: B, C and H are not to scale).