Pterodectes paroariae Mironov, 2008

Mironov, Sergey V., Literak, Ivan & Čapek, Miroslav, 2008, New feather mites of the subfamily Pterodectinae (Acari: Astigmata: Proctophyllodidae) from passerines (Aves: Passeriformes) in Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, Zootaxa 1947, pp. 1-38 : 5-9

Pterodectes paroariae Mironov sp. n.

( Figs. 1–3)

Type material. Male holotype ( ZISP 4372 ), 3 male and 6 female paratypes ex Paroaria capitata (Orbigney et Lafresnaye, 1837) (Emberizidae) , Brazil, Mato Grosso do Sul, Fazenda Belcanto near Ivinhema River , 22° 31’ S, 53° 30’ W, 12 August 2006, I. Literak. Holotype, 1 male and 4 female paratypes ( ZISP 4374-4376 ) – ZISP, remaining paratypes – PaU.

Male (holotype, measurements for 3 paratypes in parenthesis). Idiosoma, length × width, 361 (355–388) × 145 (145–165), length of hysterosoma 235 (235–250). Prodorsal shield: 115 (110–120) × 108 (105–115), lateral margins entire, posterior margin almost straight, antero-lateral extensions widely rounded, surface with numerous circular lacunae 3–7 in diameter; scapular setae se separated by 62 (60–68). Setae ve present. Humeral shields narrow, situated laterally, separated from epimerites III. Setae cp situated on ventral margin of humeral shield. Setae c2 situated on soft tegument, near anterior end of humeral shield. Subhumeral setae c3 lanceolate, 25 (24–26) × 7 (7–9). Hysteronotal shield: greatest length 245 (240–260), width in anterior part 95 (95–100), anterior margin slightly concave, entire surface with numerous circular lacunae 5–10 in diameter. Distance between prodorsal and hysteronotal shields along midline 9 (9–15) ( Fig. 1A). Opisthosomal lobes approximately as long as wide at base; posterior ends of lobes roughly rounded, with short and blunt extensions bearing bases of setae h2 and h3 and usually forming two teeth on lobar apices. Terminal cleft shaped as an inverted U with strongly divergent branches, 26 (26–30) in length. Supranal concavity present. Setae f2 situated anterior to bases of setae ps2. Setae h1 situated at level of posterior end supranal concavity. Setae h3 narrowly lanceolate, 42 (42–50) × 3 (3–4); setae ps2 82 (80–90) long, slightly thickened; setae ps1 minute, filiform, 6 (6–7) long, situated on margin of terminal cleft approximately at level of setae ps2. Distance between bases of dorsal setae: se:c2 79 (65–75), c2:d2 100 (95–105), d2:e2 84 (84–100), e2:h3 47 (45– 58), d1:d2 56 (40–60), e1: e2 26 (25–30), h1:ps2 20 (20–30), h2:h2 60 (58–65), h3:h3 42 (40–48), ps2:ps2 69 (65–78).

Epimerites I fused into a V, fused part with acute posterior end and without lateral extensions ( Fig. 1B). Coxal fields I, II without extensive sclerotized areas. Rudimentary sclerite rEpIIa absent. Coxal fields II, III open. Coxal fields IV without sclerotized areas. Epimerites IVa rudimentary. Genital arch of moderate size, 22 (20–24) × 33 (33–35); basal sclerite of genital apparatus with concave posterior margin; aedeagus straight, sword-shaped, 82 (80–85) long, extending to anterior end of anal opening; genital papillae (acetabula of many authors) situated at level of genital arch apex. Genital and adanal shields absent. Anal suckers 14 (13–15) in diameter, corolla smooth. Opisthoventral shields wide, occupying postero-lateral half of lobes; inner margins of these shields with acute (tooth-like) extension at level of setae f2 and with setae ps3 at midlevel of anal suckers. Distance between ventral setae: 3b:3a 5 (5–10), 3a:4a 37 (35–45), 4a:g 40 (40–45), g:ps3 60 (60– 65), ps3:ps3 60 (60–65), ps3:h3 36 (35–38).

Femora I, II with ventral crests, other segments of legs I, II without processes. Solenidion Solenidion σ 1 of genu I short, 6 (5–9) long, situated at midlevel of segment; genual setae cG I, II, mG I, II setiform ( Figs 2 A, B). Solenidion σ 1 of genu III in distal part of segment. Setae d of tarsi II, III shorter than corresponding setae f. Tarsus IV 23 (23–25) long, with small apical claw-like process; seta d as minute knob, situated at midlevel of segment; setae e as poorly sclerotized button, situated at base of apical claw; solenidion ϕ of tibia IV extending to midlevel of ambulacral disc ( Fig. 2 D).

Female (6 paratypes). Idiosoma, length × width, 535–545 × 180–190, length of hysterosoma 375–390. Prodorsal shield: general form and surface as in male except for slightly convex posterior margin, 140–145 × 130–140, setae se separated by 80–85. Setae ve present. Humeral shields narrow, situated laterally, separated from epimerites III. Setae cp situated on ventral margin of humeral shield. Setae c2 situated on soft tegument, anterior to humeral shields. Setae c3 lanceolate, 24–26 × 7–8. Distance between prodorsal and hysteronotal shields along midline 10–15. Anterior and lobar parts of hysteronotal shield separated dorsally by narrow transverse band of soft tegument, but remain connected ventro-laterally ( Fig. 3 A). Anterior hysteronotal shields almost rectangular, anterior margin slightly concave, greatest length 285–295, width at anterior margin 120–130, whole surface with numerous circular lacunae as in prodorsal shield. Length of lobar region 95–100, greatest width 93–105. Terminal cleft as narrow V, extending to level of setae h2, 55–60 long, distance between lobar apices 25–35. Setae h1 on lobar shield, distant from anterior margins; setae h1 and f 2 in trapezoid arrangement. Setae h2 spindle-like, 50–55 × 7–9. Setae ps1 near to inner margins of opisthosomal lobes. Setae h3 20–25 long, about 1/6 of terminal appendages. Distance between dorsal setae: se:c2 85–105, c2:d2 110–125, d2:e2 110–120, e2:h2 75–80, h2:h3 40–45, d1:d2 35–45, e1: e2 32–40, h1:h2 34–40, h1:h1 22–28, h2:h2 72–85, h3:h3 40–50.

Epimerites I fused into a V; fused part with acute posterior tip, without lateral extensions. Lateral parts of coxal fields I, II without large sclerotized areas ( Fig. 3 B). Epimerites IVa absent. Translobar apodemes of opisthosomal lobes present, not fused to each other anterior to terminal cleft. Epigynum horseshoe-shaped, without lateral extensions, greatest width 68–75. Pseudanal setae setiform, setae ps2 approximately at midlevel of anal opening, distance between setae: ps2:ps2 50–55, ps3:ps3 22–25, ps2:ps3 18–22. Head of spermatheca long and narrow, primary spermaduct with short enlargement (about 15 long) in proximal part; secondary spermaducts approximately equal in length to enlargement of primary spermaduct; copulatory opening ventral, slightly posterior to anal opening ( Fig. 3 B).

Femur I without crest, femur II with ventral crest, other segments of these legs as in male. Solenidion σ 1 of genu I short, 7–9 long, situated at midlevel of segment. Genual setae cG I, II, mG I, II setiform. Setae d of tarsi II–IV shorter than corresponding setae f. Genu IV dorsally inflated, with wide longitudinal dorsal crest, genu III with low longitudinal dorsal crest ( Figs 2 E, F).

Differential diagnosis. Among formerly described species, Pterodectes paroariae sp. n. is most similar to P. atyeoi OConnor, Foufopoulos et Lipton, 2005 from Geospiza fuliginoza Gould, 1837 (Emberizidae) by having extensive ventral sclerotization of opisthosomal lobes and relatively short and narrowly lanceolate setae h 3 in males ( Fig. 1 B). Pterodectes paroariae differs from that species by the following characters: in both sexes, the entire surface of hysteronotal shield is covered with numerous large circular lacunae; in males, the fused part of epimerites I with acute tip, rudimentary sclerites rEpIIa are absent, epimerites IVa are rudimentary, and setae ps3 are situated on inner margins of opisthoventral sclerites. In males of P. atyeoi , lacunae are little pit-like and occupy only the posterior third of hysteronotal shield, the fused part of epimerites I has a pair of short and acute lateral extension, rudimentary sclerites rEpIIa are present, and epimerites IVa are large and their inner ends touch the tips of genital arch, setae ps3 are situated on soft tegument; in females, the anterior hysteronotal shields bears little pit-like lacunae only in postero-lateral parts.

Etymology. The specific epithet derives from the generic name of the host and is a noun in the genitive case.