Picobia glossopsitta, 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 : 67

Picobia glossopsitta sp. nov.

( Figs 28–34 )

Description. FEMALE. ( Figs 28–34 ). Total body length 645 in holotype (650 in one paratype). Gnathosoma . Chelicerae edentate. Hypostomal apex tapering ( Fig. 30 ). Each transverse branch of peritremes with 4 chambers, each longitudinal branch short with indistinct borders between numerous chambers ( Fig. 32 ). Length of stylophore 150 (145). Idiosoma . Propodosomal shield divided into two lateral fragments bearing bases of setae sci and sce and one punctated median fragment bearing bases of setae vi, ve and d1. Setae ve slightly (1.3 times) shorter than setae ve and sci. Bases of setae vi set posterior to level of setae ve. Setae vi, ve and sci slightly knobbed ( Fig. 31 ). Bases of setae sce situated anterior to level of setae d1 bases. Hysterosomal shield absent. Pygidial shield well sclerotized, bearing short and subequal in length setae d4 and l4. Length ratio of setae d4:d5 1:1. Bases of setae ic1 not fused. Paragenital setae pg1 4.5 times longer than pg2 and about twice shorter than pg3. Setae pg1 set anterior to level of setae pg2. One pair of anal setae present ( Fig. 33 ). Genital setae very short, situated on weakly developed lobes. Cuticular striations as in Figs 28 and 29 . Legs. Coxal fields I–IV well sclerotized and not punctated. Dorsal setae of legs I and II slightly knobbed. Antaxial and paraxial members of claws pair III and IV subequal in size ( Fig. 34 ). Tarsal setae tc” of legs III and IV 2.5 times longer than tc’III–IV. Lengths of setae: vi 40 (40); ve 55 (60); sci 55 (65); h 170 (160); sce 180 (230); l1 170 (180); l2 195 (085); l4 15 (10); l5 395 (395); d1 215; d2 105 (125); d4 15 (15); d5 20 (15); pg1 100 (85); pg2 55 (65); pg3 100.

MALE. Unknown.

Type material. Female holotype and 1 female paratype (Syr. 139) from the Purple-crowned Lorikeet Glossopsitta porphyrocephala (Dietrichsen) ( Psittaciformes : Psittacidae ), Australia, New Holland, no other data. Host specimen is deposited at MNHW. Type series is deposited at AMU.

Etymology. The specific epithet glossopsitta derives to the generic name of the host and is a noun in apposition.

Differential diagnosis. Picobia glossopsitta sp. nov., is close to P. locustella Skoracki, Bochkov et Wauthy 2004 and differs from it by the following characters: in females of P. glossopsitta sp. nov., the bases of setae sce are set anterior to the level of setae d1 bases, and the length ratios of setae vi:ve:sci and d4:l4 are 1:1.3:1.3 and 1:1, respectively. In females of P. locustella , the bases of setae sce are set posterior to the level of setae d1 bases; and the length ratios of setae vi:ve:sci and d4:l4 are 1:2.2:3 and 1:2.3, respectively.

Figures

FIGURES 28–35. Picobia glossopsitta sp. nov. (female). 28, dorsal view; 29, ventral view; 30, hypostomal apex; 31, seta ve; 32, peritremes; 33, vulva; 34, tarsus III. Scale lines 100 µm (Figs. 28 and 29), 50 µm (Fig. 33), 2 0µm (Figs. 30– 34).