Xinjiangsha Wen and Shao, 1984

Stekolnikov, Alexandr & Daniel, Milan, 2012, 3216, Zootaxa 3216, pp. 1-104 : 15-16

Genus Xinjiangsha Wen and Shao, 1984

Xinjiangsha Wen and Shao, 1984: 25 ; Wen, Shao & Ma 1984: 169; Wen 2003: 183.

Aboriginesia Kudryashova, 1993b: 51 , syn. nov.; 1998: 230; Brown 2008: 145; Wen 2003: 190; Kováčik & Kalúz 2010: 23. Type species: Xinjiangsha scutocularis Wen and Shao, 1984 , by original designation.

Diagnosis. SIF = 7BS-N(B)-3-3(2)111.1000. Eyes 2 + 2. Scutum subpentagonal or nearly trapezoidal, with rounded posterior margin; two or more additional setae are situated near PL setae either on scutal margin (post-posterolateral setae) or between scutal margin and eyes (scuto-ocular setae). Sensilla flagelliform.

Hosts. Small mammals (rodents, soricomorphs).

Distribution. Morocco, France, Switzerland, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Russia (Kabardino- Balkaria, North Ossetia, Dagestan), Georgia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, China (Xinjiang).

Species included. Xinjiangsha armata ( Schluger and Bibikova, 1959) , X. blanci (Vercammen-Grandjean, 1956) , comb. nov., X. danieli ( Kolebinova, 1974) , comb. nov., X. feideri ( Daniel and Brelih, 1959) , comb. nov., X. galla ( Kolebinova, 1970) , comb. nov., X. iberica ( Schluger, 1957) , comb. nov., X. imlilica ( Brown, 2008) , comb. nov., X. ludmilae ( Kováčik and Kalúz, 2010) , comb. nov., X. lyciaensis sp. nov., X. montana ( Kudryashova, 1965) , comb. nov., X. monticola ( Kolebinova, 1974) , comb. nov., X. obuchi ( Kováčik and Kalúz, 2010) , comb. nov., X. raissae ( Hushcha and Kharadov, 1987) , comb. nov., X. scutocularis Wen and Shao, 1984 , X. talpae ( Kolebinova, 1977) , comb. nov., X. tarda ( Schluger, 1957) , comb. nov., X. theodori ( Hushcha, 1986) , comb. nov., X. tokobajevi ( Hushcha and Kharadov, 1987) , X. tshatkalica ( Hushcha and Kharadov, 1985) , comb. nov., X. variabilis ( Schluger and Vshivkov, 1967) , comb. nov.

Remarks. According to Wen (2003), the main character of the genus Xinjiangsha , which separates it from the related genera Neotrombicula , Miyatrombicula , and Aboriginesia , is the presence of scuto-ocular setae. These setae are probably PLs which turn out to be extrascutal due to the reduction of posterolateral scutal angles. Such reduction is a usual malformation in chigger mites ( Kharadov 2002, 2005); it corresponds to the “narrow” scutum in the description of Xinjiangsha ( Wen 2003) . Its appearance as a taxonomic character can probably occur in different species independently. Therefore, this feature is considered unsuitable as generic level trait. Other characters given to support this genus, namely presence of additional posterior sternal setae (fSt = 2.4), presence of additional setae on coxa III (fCx = 1.1.2), and fPp = B/B/BBB ( Wen 2003), are usual in large-sized mountain species of the related genus Neotrombicula and probably correlate with species ecology. Moreover, the species X. ludmilae (formerly included to Aboriginesia ) has additional sternal and coxal setae (fSt = 2.4, fCx = 1.2.1), but it has no OS, while X. lyciaensis sp. nov. has OS, but not additional sternal and coxal setae. Thus, here we have expanded the diagnosis of Xinjiangsha to include all the species of the closest genus Aboriginesia , which is considered to be a synonym of Xinjiangsha . Xinjiangsha is closely related to the genus Neotrombicula and differs from it only in the presence of PPL or OS.

Xinjiangsha blanci , X. imlilica (both from Morocco), X. monticola ( Bulgaria) , and X. tarda (Caucasus and Transcaucasia) constitute a group of closely related species characterized by SIF = 7BS-N-3-3111.1000, fPp = B/B/ N(B)NB, fCx = 1.1.1, fSt = 2.2, four humeral setae, and similar shape of scutum.