Neotrombicula kolebinovae, Stekolnikov & Daniel, 2012

Stekolnikov, Alexandr & Daniel, Milan, 2012, 3216, Zootaxa 3216, pp. 1-104 : 57-60

Neotrombicula kolebinovae sp. nov.

( Figs. 37–39)

Diagnosis. SIF = 7BS-N-3-3111.1000; fPp = B/B/NNB; fCx = 1.1.1; fSt = 2.2; fSc: PL> AM = AL; Ip = 1009–1072; fD = 2H-(6–9)-(6–8)-(6–8)-(4–7)-(4–6)-(2–3); DS = 31–38; VS = 32–41; NDV = 67–76. Standard measurements are given in Table 19.

Description (larva). IDIOSOMA. Eyes 2 + 2. Cuticular striations on the dorsal side of idiosoma tortuous ( Fig. 38). One pair of humeral setae; 29–36 dorsal idiosomal setae moderately covered with thick barbs, fD in holotype 2H-8-8-8-4-6-2; four sternal setae and 32–41 ventral setae; total number of idiosomal setae excluding coxal and sternal 67–76.

GNATHOSOMA. Cheliceral blade with tricuspid cap only; cheliceral base moderately covered with puncta; gnathobase with dense puncta and one pair of branched setae; palpal femur moderately punctate, palpal genu with few puncta; galeala nude; palpal claw with three prongs; setae on palpal femur and genu branched; dorsal and lateral palpal tibial setae nude, ventral palpal tibial seta branched; palpal tarsus with seven branched setae, nude subterminala, and tarsala.

SCUTUM. Nearly hexagonal, with rounded posterior margin and dense small puncta; AM base posterior to level of ALs; SB posterior to level of PLs (P-PL–PSB = 9–12, mean 10.1); PL> AM = AL; all scutal setae barbed similarly to dorsal idiosomal setae; flagelliform sensilla with about 2–3 long branches.

LEGS. All seven-segmented, with pair of claws and claw-like empodium. Leg I: coxa with one non-specialized branched seta (1B); trochanter 1B; basifemur 1B; telofemur 5B; genu 4B, three genualae (17, 18, and 20 long), microgenuala (2); tibia 8B, two tibialae (18 and 20), microtibiala (2); tarsus 22B, tarsala (25), microtarsala (1) distad tarsala, subterminala (22), parasubterminala (13), pretarsala (14). Leg II: coxa 1B; trochanter 1B; basifemur 2B; telofemur 4B; genu 3B, genuala (14); tibia 6B, two tibialae (13 and 14); tarsus 16B, tarsala (18), microtarsala (1) proximad tarsala, pretarsala (15). Leg III: coxa 1B; trochanter 1B; basifemur 2B; telofemur 3B; genu 3B, genuala (18–19); tibia 6B, tibiala (18–19); tarsus 14B, mastitarsala (72–74) nude.

Hosts. Chionomys nivalis (Martins) and Microtus schidlovskii Argyropulo.

Type material. Holotype (7981, T-Tr.-50) and 9 paratypes larvae (ZISP) ex Chionomys nivalis , TURKEY: Antalya Prov., 6 km SWW from Kizlarsivrisi Mt, 2135 m a.s.l., 26 April 2009, coll. AAS; 1 paratype larva (ZISP) ex Microtus schidlovskii , ibidem, 6 km W from Kizlarsivrisi Mt , 1727 m a.s.l., 25 April 2009, coll. AAS.

Etymology. The species is named in honor of Dr. Maria Kolebinova ( Bulgaria), who made a valuable contribution to the taxonomy of chigger mites.

Remarks. The new species is similar to N. kepkai Kolebinova, 1971b , but differs in fPp = B/B/NNB vs. B/B/ BBB, scutum nearly hexagonal vs. pentagonal, SB clearly posterior to PLs vs. SB at level of PLs, and in NDV = 67–76 vs. 62. According to Kolebinova (1992), in N. kepkai Ip = 856–981, that is lesser than in the new species (1009–1072), but our calculations based on fig. 41 from the cited work shows, that length of leg III tarsus in N. kepkai is 100, i.e. somewhat larger than in the new species (88–95). Thus, really legs lengths in these two species may be about the same.

The new species is also similar to N. jordana Imaz et al., 2006 , but differs in having nude lateral palpal tibial seta vs. branched (fPp = B/B/NNB vs. B/B/NBB), larger scutum (AW 76–81 vs. 55–63, PW 95–100 vs. 70–80, and SD 58–67 vs. 45–50), longer setae (AM 53–63 vs. 40–49, PL 81–90 vs. 58–65, H 77–90 vs. 63–70, and D max 74–81 vs. 58–70), and longer legs (Ip 1009–1072 vs. 861–990).