Leonardiella pappi, Kontschán, 2021

Kontschán, Jenő, 2021, First record of the genus Leonardiella in China, with the description of the Leonardiella pappi sp. nov. from Hong Kong (Acari: Mesostigmata: Trachyuropodidae), Acarological Studies 3 (2), pp. 82-88 : 83-87

Leonardiella pappi sp. nov.

Zoobank: http://zoobank.org/ 02B52A0E-478F-414F- AC04-D3AEF6F0609F

( Figures 1-10 )

Diagnosis. Dorsal shield with one pair of U-shaped, strongly sclerotized lateral incision at level of coxae IV on dorsal shield, and a strongly sclerotized ring-like groove situated between two lateral incisions. Dorsal shield covered by oval pits but reticular sculptural pattern situated anterior and posterior to ring-like groove. Female genital shield linguliform covered by oval pits. One pair of deep and lateral furrow with smooth and needle-like setae on their margins situated posterior to coxae IV on ventral idiosoma.

Material examined. Holotype. Female. Hong Kong, New Territories , Tai Po Kau Nature Reserve, forest along “Tai Po Kau Trail”, soil sample under Machilus sp. , 160 m; 14.III.2000; leg. B. Hauser (Berlese extraction in Geneva). Paratypes. Five females and two males , collection data as in holotype.

Description

Female (n=6).

Description. Length of idiosoma 650–690, width 380–440. Shape pentagonal, posterior margin rounded, colour reddish brown.

Dorsal idiosoma ( Fig. 1 ). Marginal and dorsal shields completely separated. Majority of dorsal setae T-shaped with a short stem and long cross-bar (ca 14–17), some long, wide and marginally pilose setae (ca 23–33 long) placed around lateral incision of dorsal shield. One pair of Ushaped, strongly sclerotized, 71–80 long and 44–52 wide lateral incision situated at level of coxae IV on dorsal shield. A strongly sclerotized, 43–47 long and 78–85 wide ring-like groove situated between two lateral incisions. Dorsal shield covered by oval pits (ca 4–5×3–6), but reticular sculptural pattern situated anterior and posterior to ring-like groove. Two pairs of pores placed posterior to lateral incisions. Marginal shield wide, without sculptural pattern and setation.

Ventral idiosoma ( Fig. 2 ). Sternal shield covered by some oval pits (ca 2–4×2–5) close to apical margin, other parts smooth. Ten pairs of sternal setae T-shaped, their crossbar ca 10–11 long. Seven sternal setae situated close to anterior and lateral margin of genital opening, three pairs between coxae III and IV. One pair of deep and lateral furrow (46–50 long and 110–120 wide) with smooth and needle-like (ca 23–27 long) setae on their margins situat- ed posterior to coxae IV. Surface of ventral shield smooth. First pair of ventral setae wide and pilose (ca 27–30 long), other ventral setae T-shaped, their crossbar ca 20–23 long. Setae around anal opening similar in shape to ventral setae, but shorter (their crossbar ca 10–13).

One pair of large (85–90×80–90) rounded holes situated at caudal edges on ventral idiosoma, surface of holes covered by reticulate sculptural pattern. Anal opening small, ca 15–18 long and ca 4–5 wide. One pair of large pores situated anterior to anal opening and one pair of small pores lateral to anal opening. Peritremes ( Fig. 3 ) without poststigmatid part and with a long and hairpin-like prestigmatid part. Stigmata situated between coxae II and III. Genital shield wide, linguliform (206–210 long and 105– 109 wide), without apical process. Surface of genital shield covered by oval pits (ca 4–6×3–5).

Pedofossae deep, their surface smooth, separate furrows for tarsi IV present. Base of tritosternum narrow, vaselike, tritosternal laciniae divided into two smooth lateral and two apically pilose central branches ( Fig. 4 ).

Gnathosoma ( Fig. 4 ). Corniculi horn-like, internal malae longer than corniculi and divided into numerous smooth branches. Hypostomal setae h1 situated on apical margin of gnathosoma, ca 19–23 long, smooth and needle-like, h2 apically bifurcated and ca 15-17 long, h3 very long (ca 37– 40) smooth and needle-like, h4 ca 17–18 long and marginally pilose. Two rows of denticles between h3 and h4 present. Palp setae smooth and needle-like. Episome apically pilose ( Fig. 5 ). Fixed digit of chelicerae as long as movable digit with one-one central tooth on both digits. Internal sclerotized nodes present ( Fig. 6 ).

Legs ( Figs 7-9 ). Majority of setae on legs smooth and needle-like, except four pilose setae trochanter of leg I and one large serrate ventral seta on femur of leg I. Claws on first leg smaller than on other legs. All femora bearing flap-like ventral processes. Leg I 230–240, leg II 215–220, leg III 205–210, leg IV 230–240.

Male (n=2).

Length of idiosoma 650–690, width 380–440.

Dorsal idiosoma. Ornamentation and chaetotaxy of dorsal shield as for female.

Ventral idiosoma ( Fig. 10 ). Sternal shield with nine pairs of T-shaped setae, their crossbar ca 12–15 long. Sternal shield covered by oval pits (ca 4–5×4–5). Genital shield oval (45–47×50–52) and situated between coxae II. Other characters as in female.

Larva and nymphs. Unknown.

Etymology. The new species is dedicated to the excellent Hungarian fly specialist and zootaxonomist, Prof. Dr. László Papp (1946-2021), who passed away this year.

Remark. Till today only four species are reported from East- and South-East Asia, namely Leonardiella cistulata , L. koreana , L. matsuurai and L. similiathiasae . . The new species differs from these four ones in the presence of the strongly sclerotized ring-like dorsal groove, which is absent in these four species. One pair of U-shaped, strongly sclerotized lateral incision at the level of coxae IV on dorsal shield are visible only on the new species and on the L. similiathiasae , but the reticulate sculptural pattern on dorsal shield absent on L. similiathiasae (this character is visible on the new species) and setae around horizontal furrow on ventral idiosoma are pilose on L. similiathiasae , contrary they are smooth on the new species.

Figures

Figure 1. Dorsal view of Leonardiella pappi sp. nov. female, holotype.

Figure 2. Ventral view of Leonardiella pappi sp. nov. female, holotype.

Figures 3-10. Leonardiella pappi sp. nov. female, holotype. 3. Peritreme. 4. Gnathosoma, tritosternum, palp and leg I in ventral view. 5. Apical part of epistome. 6. Lateral view of chelicera. 7. Leg II in ventral view. 8. Leg III in ventral view. 9. Leg IV in ventral view. 10. Intercoxal area of male paratype.