Kepkatrombicula ciliciensis, Stekolnikov & Daniel, 2012

Stekolnikov, Alexandr & Daniel, Milan, 2012, 3216, Zootaxa 3216, pp. 1-104 : 29-31

Kepkatrombicula ciliciensis sp. nov.

( Figs. 18–20)

Diagnosis. SIF = 7BS-N(B)-3-2111.1000; fPp = B/B/NBB; fCx = 1.1.2(3); fSt = 2.2; fSc: PL> AL> AM; Ip = 929–976; fD = 4H-[(8–13)-(8–13)]-[(9–16)-(10–14)]-(12–22)-(10–16)-…; DS = 83–103; VS = 63–75; NDV = 151–173. Standard measurements are given in Table 7.

Description (larva). IDIOSOMA. Eyes 2 + 2. Two pairs of humeral setae; 79–99 dorsal idiosomal setae with thick barbs of moderate length, 1 st and 2 nd rows double, fD in holotype 4H-[11-10]-[12-12]-18-12-9-10; four sternal setae and 63–75 ventral setae; total number of idiosomal setae excluding coxal and sternal 151–173.

GNATHOSOMA. Cheliceral blade with tricuspid cap and additional dorsal projection; 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 or having one branch; palpal claw with three prongs; setae on palpal femur and genu branched; dorsal palpal tibial seta nude, lateral and ventral palpal tibial setae branched; palpal tarsus with seven branched setae, nude subterminala, and tarsala.

SCUTUM. Nearly pentagonal, with broadly rounded posterior margin and dense small puncta; anterolateral shoulders present. AM base at level of ALs; SB at level of PLs or slightly posterior (PSB–P-PL = –3–1, mean –1.3); PL> AL> AM; AL with long barbs, AM and PL with barbs of moderate length; flagelliform sensilla with about five long branches in distal half.

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, two genualae (21 and 23 long), microgenuala (3–6); tibia 8B, two tibialae (18 and 17), microtibiala (5); tarsus 22B, tarsala (22), microtarsala (1) distad tarsala, subterminala (21), parasubterminala (12), pretarsala (14). Leg II: coxa 1B; trochanter 1B; basifemur 2B; telofemur 4B; genu 3B, genuala (15); tibia 6B, two tibialae (14); tarsus 16B, tarsala (18), microtarsala (1) proximad tarsala, pretarsala (14). Leg III: coxa 2(3)B; trochanter 1B; basifemur 2B; telofemur 3B; genu 3B, genuala (17); tibia 6B, tibiala (17); tarsus 14B, mastitarsala (53) nude.

Host. Microtus schidlovskii Argyropulo.

Type material. Holotype (8025, T-Tr.-47) and 26 paratypes larvae (ZISP) ex Microtus schidlovskii , TURKEY: Adana Prov., 5 km SEE from Yelatan , 1930 m a.s.l., 6 May 2009, coll. AAS.

Etymology. The species epithet refers to the ancient region Cilicia where the type locality is situated.

Remarks. Among 27 specimens examined, 4 (including holotype) have three setae on one coxa III and two on the other (fCx = 1.1.2/1.1.3) and one specimen has fCx = 1.1.1/1.1.2, while other specimens have 1.1.2.

Both galealae are distinctly nude (N/N) in 4 specimens; both galealae bear one branch (B/B) in 4 specimens; one galeala is distinctly nude and other with one branch (N/B) in 3 specimens. Among rest 16 specimens, 3 have one galeala with one branch and 1 has one galeala with two branches, while other galeala is indistinctly visible (?/ B). In holotype (as well as in 4 paratypes), one galeala is nude and other is indistinctly visible (N/?); in 7 specimens both galealae are indistinctly visible (?/?).

The new species is very close to K. odessana ( Simonovich, 1958) in the shape of scutum, fCx = 1.1.2, and similar measurements, but differs in the presence of mastitarsala, branched galeala in some specimens, two pairs of humeral setae vs. one pair, and in more numerous idiosomal setae (NDV 151–173 vs. 97–124).