Protzia zagrosiensis Bader & Sepasgozarian, 1980

Pesic, Vladimir, 2005, Water mites of the genus Protzia Piersig, 1896 (Acari, Hydrachnidia: Hydryphantidae) from Iran, Zootaxa 1019 (1), pp. 53-64 : 59-61

Protzia zagrosiensis Bader & Sepasgozarian, 1980

( Figs. 10–14 )

Type series: Lectotype, male, here designated: dissected and slide mounted in Hoyer's fluid. NHMB 1977­09­24 _2[9,15,16] Gebiet Korramabad­Malayer­Hamadan; Abfluss des Quellgebiet Abe Sarabe Sefid , 2 km unterhalb Quellgebiet, leg. Schw & Sepas. Paralectotypes: 65 males, 128 (49 ovig.) females, same data as lectotype , 2 males and 5 females of them dissected and slide mounted in Hoyer's fluid.

New records: NHMB 1978­10­14 _1[78/83;78/193 k21] Elburs Mountain area, spring, Karadj­Tschalus road towards Dizin , 3.3 km toward Walangrud , leg. Bader & Sepasgosarian; (4/15/3) ; NHMB 1977­09­24 _4[8], Khorramabad area – Malayer Hamadan, river Gele Rud near village Schejkh Miri Sadat , leg. Schwoerbel & Sepasgosarian (0/1/0) ; 1975­06­12 _1[16] Chalus area, stream, Warebon­Tilakenar, 6 km from Chalus , above the school, 70 m asl., leg. Bader & Kheiry (0/1/0) ; NHMB Iran, without place sampling, 1977, 1978? (0/8/0); IR29 Chahar Mahal and Bakhtiari Province , road from Saman to Farsan, Mike spring, ca. 2100 m asl., 01.08.2003, leg. Pesic (3/15/0).

Diagnosis: Characters of the eximia species group; genital field with 15–19 Ac, caudal Ac on relatively short stalks (L 13–19 µm, ratio caudal stalk length/Ac length 0.5–0.8), gnathosoma relatively short (L/ W 1.4 –1.7); egg diameter 170–191 µm; genital skeleton 135–145 µm.

Description: Variability given as mean (minimum–maximum); Males (n=3): leg claws with 4 Lcl and 5–6 Mcl; genital field ( Fig. 11 ) with 17 (17–18) Ac; CAc L 24 (22–27), CAc W 19 (18–21), ratio L/ W 1.28 (1.2–1.39); CAc stalk L 15.5(13–18), stalk L/L of CAc 0.64 (0.57–0.7); genital skeleton L 140 (138–145); gnathosoma L 160 (156–163), W 104 (103–106), L/W ratio 1.54 (1.52–1.57); chelicera L 200 (192–212), ratio basal segment/ claw 2.07 (1.96–2.17), ratio L/H 4.56 (4.1–5.14); palp ( Figs. 13–14 ) total L 278 (276– 285), dorsal length: P­1 23 (20–26.5), P­2 69 (68–70), P­3 44 (43–46), P­4 111 (110–113), P­5 30.7 (30–31), L/H ratio: P­1 0.65 (0.6–0.7), P­2 1.94 (1.8–2.17), P­3 1.0 (1.0), P­4 3.67 (3.65–3.7), P­5 2.6 (2.35–2.9), relative length (given as % of total length): P­1 8.4 (7.3–9.3), P­2 24.8 (24.2–25.6), P­3 15.9 (15.6–16), P­4 40 (39.7–40.3), P­5 11 (10.9– 11.3); L ratio P­2/P­4 0.62 (0.61–0.63).

Females (n=5): leg claws with 4–5 Lcl and 6–7 Mcl ( Fig. 12 ); genital field ( Fig. 10 ) with 17 (15–19) Ac; CAc L 25 (20–32), CAc W 19.4 (16–22), ratio L/ W 1.27 (1.1–1.6); CAc stalk L 16 (13–19), stalk L/L of CAc 0.64 (0.52–0.8); gnathosoma L 183 (174–191), W 114 (103–123), L/W ratio 1.61 (1.5–1.74); chelicera L 221 (204–229), ratio basal segment/claw 1.98 (1.7–2.16), ratio L/H 5.2 (4.6–5.7); palp total L 296 (270–305), dorsal length: P­1 31 (29–33), P­2 69 (66–72), P­3 47 (43–48), P­4 116 (103–124), P­5 33 (30– 35), L/H ratio: P­1 0.74 (0.7–0.78), P­2 1.98 (1.74–2.19), P­3 1.04 (1.0–1.1), P­43.7 (3.54– 3.82), P­5 2.5 (2.3–2.8), relative length (given as % of total length): P­1 10.2 (9.8–10.8), P­2 23.4 (22.6–24.6), P­3 15.9 (15.4–16.6), P­4 39.3 (38–40.8), P­5 11.1 (10.6–11.6); L ratio P­2/P­4 0.6 (0.58–0.65); egg diameter (n =10) 181 (170–191).

Remarks: The redescription of specimens from the type series of P. zagrosiensis demonstrates that the population from Abe Sarabe Sefid agrees well with P. alborziensis . The only differences are found in the higher diameter of eggs (> 170 µm vs. <140 µm in P. alborziensis ), and in the relatively shorter gnathosoma (L/ W 1.5 –1.7 vs. 2.0– 2.3 in P. alborziensis ). According to Gerecke (1999) the shape of gnathosoma in ventral view (expressed as L/W ratio) is extremely variable and therefore is not suitable for species determination in the eximia species group. In the L/W ratio of the gnathosoma considerably overlaps with the values found in populations of P. caucasica from Vladicaucasus (SMF 4109, 4110; see Gerecke, 1996a). These populations differ from typical P. caucasica populations in the extremely flattened CAc (L/ W 1.0 –1.1), a more shorter gnathosoma (L/ H 1.5), and a slender chelicera (ratio L/H 4.8). In view of the generally homogeneous morphology of the gnathosoma in all investigated populations from a wider geographic range, and of overlapping of their distribution patterns, P. zagrosiensis and P. alborziensis are at best regarded as separate species. The populations from Vladicaucasus described by Gerecke (1996a: SMF 4109, 4110) should be assigned to P. zagrosiensis , in this concept a species with a relatively shorter gnathosoma.

The specimens from Elburs Mountain (1[78/83;78/193 k21]) and Chahar Mahal and Bakhtiari Province ( IR29 ) are in agreement with the specimens from the type series. The only difference is found in the more flattened CAc (L/ W 1.0 –1.1). In view of the good agreement in other measurements this difference are most probably age­depending and/or due to geographical variability .

Distribution: Caucasus Mt. (Vladicaucasus), Iran.

Figures

FIGURES 10–14. Protzia zagrosiensis Bader & Sepasgozarian, 1980. 11, lectotype male; 13, 14, paralectotype male; 10, 12, paralectotype female: 10 = coxae and genital field; 11 = genital field; 12 = leg claws; 13 = gnathosoma and palp, medial view; 14 = palp, lateral view. Scale bars = 0.1 mm.