Picobia lemi, Skoracki & Glowska & Sikora, 2008

Skoracki, Maciej, Glowska, Eliza & Sikora, Bozena, 2008, Four new species of the quill mite genus Picobia Heller, 1880 (Acari: Syringophilidae) parasitizing birds in the Australian Region, Zootaxa 1961 (1), pp. 58-68 : 60

Picobia lemi sp. nov.

( Figs 1–12 )

Description. FEMALE. ( Figs 1–7 ). Total body length 535 in holotype (1300 in paratype – physogastric form). Gnathosoma . Gnathosoma sparsely punctated ventrally. Hypostomal apex rounded ( Fig. 3 ). Each transverse branch of peritremes with 3–4 chambers, each longitudinal branch with 7–8 ( Fig. 5 ). Length of stylophore 230 (230). Idiosoma . Propodosomal shield divided into two lateral fragments bearing setae ve, sci and sce and one small and punctated median fragment. Length ratio of setae vi:ve:sci 1:1:1.2. Bases of setae vi and ve set at same transverse level. Setae vi, ve and sci strongly knobbed ( Fig. 4 ). Bases of setae d1 set slightly anterior to level of setae sce bases. Hysterosomal shield absent. Pygidial shield well sclerotized and punctated. Length ratios of setae d4:l4 1:1.3, d4:d5 1:2, d5:l5 1:5. Bases of setae ic1 fused. Paragenital setae pg1 set anterior to level of setae pg2. Setae pg1 and pg2 subequal in length and about twice shorter than pg3. Two pairs of anal setae present, setae a1 slightly longer than a2. Opisthosomal lobes developed ( Fig. 7 ). Cuticular striations as in Figs. 1 and 2 . Legs. Coxal fields I and II well sclerotized, III and IV weakly sclerotized, all punctated. Dorsal setae of legs I and II smooth. Antaxial and paraxial members of claws pair III and IV subequal in size ( Fig. 6 ). Tarsal setae tc” of legs III and IV 1.5 times longer than tc’III–IV. Lengths of setae: vi 170; ve 180 (145); sci 195 (210); h 295 (270); sce 290 (250); l1 255; l4 (65); l5 495; d1 295 (250); d2 135; d4 45 (50); d5 100; a1 40 (40); a2 30 (35); g 20 (30); pg1 (70); pg2 (70); pg3 (145).

MALE. ( Figs 8–12 ). Total body length about 500 in 3 paratypes. Gnathosoma . Hypostomal apex rounded ( Fig. 10 ). Each transverse branch of peritremes with 4–5 chambers, each longitudinal branch with 6 chambers ( Fig. 11 ). Idiosoma . Propodosomal shield divided into two lateral fragments bearing setae ve, sci and sce. Length ratio of setae vi:ve:sci 1:1:1.3. Bases of setae vi and ve set at same transverse level. Setae vi, ve and sci strongly knobbed. Bases of setae d1 set anterior to level of setae sce bases. Hysterosomal shield weakly sclerotized, bearing bases of setae d2 and l2. Setae l1 about 10 times longer than d2 and l2. Pygidial shield well sclerotized, bearing bases of setae d5 and l5. Length ratio of setae d5:l5 1:14. Bases of setae g1 and g2 fused ( Fig. 12 ). Bases of setae ic1 fused. Paragenital setae pg1 twice longer than pg2. Two small plates on ventral side present, bearing bases of setae pg1. Cuticular striations as in Figs 8 and 9 . Legs. Coxal fields I–IV wel sclerotized, all punctated. Lengths of setae: vi 130; ve 135; sci 160–180; h 195–205; sce 185–195; l1 180–200; l2 20; l5 250–305; d1 180–210; d2 20; d5 20; pg1 80.

Type material. Female holotype and 1 female (physogastric form) and 3 male paratypes (Syr. 212) from the Crinkle-collared Manucode Manucodia chalybatus (Forster) ( Passeriformes : Paradisaeidae ), New Guinea, no other data. Host specimen is deposited at MNHW. Type series is deposited at AMU.

Additional material. One female and 1 male (Syr. 213) from the Glossy-mantled Manucode Manucodia ater (Lesson) , New Guinea, 1910, no other data. Host specimen is deposited at MNHW. Whole material is deposited at AMU .

Etymology. This species is named in honour of Stanisław Lem, Polish writer and savant.

Differential diagnosis. Picobia lemi sp. nov. is most similar to P. cissa Skoracki, Bochkov et Wauthy, 2004 described from Cissa chinensis (Boddaert) ( Passeriformes : Corviidae) ( Skoracki et al. 2004). In females of both species, the propodosomal shield is divided longitudinally, bases of setae vi and ve are situated at the same transverse level, two pairs of anal setae are present and the opisthosomal lobes are developed. These species are distinguished by the following characters: in females of P. lemi sp. nov., each transverse branch of the peritremes has 3–4 chambers and each longitudinal branch has 7–8 well separated chambers; the length ratios of setae d4:d5 and d5:l5 are 1:2 and 1:5, respectively. In females of P. cissa , each transverse branch of the peritremes has 8–9 chambers and borders between chambers of longitudinal branch are indistinct; and length ratios of setae d4:d5 and d5:l5 are 1:4.3 and 1:24, respectively.

Figures

FIGURES 1–7. Picobia lemi sp. nov. (female). 1, dorsal view; 2, ventral view; 3, hypostomal apex; 4, seta ve; 5, peritremes; 6, tarsus III; 7, vulva. Scale lines 100 µm (Figs 1 and 2), 50 µm (Fig. 7), 20 µm (Figs. 3–6).

FIGURES 8–12. Picobia lemi sp. nov. (male). 8, dorsal view; 9, ventral view; 10, hypostomal apex; 11, vulva; 12, peritremes. Scale lines 100 µm (Figs. 8 and 9), 20 µm (Figs. 10–12).