Dactyloscirus pseudophilippinensis Skvarla & Dowling

Skvarla, Michael J. & Dowling, Ashley P. G., 2012, Some new armascirine cunaxids (Acari: Prostigmata: Cunaxidae) from the Eastern United States, Zootaxa 3194, pp. 1-34 : 26-30

Dactyloscirus pseudophilippinensis Skvarla & Dowling sp. nov.

( Figs. 21–23 )

Diagnosis. Dactyloscirus pseudophilippinensis most closely resembles D. philippinensis in possessing a median shield and lateral platelets and having a single distally pointed apophysis adjoining the palpal genu and tibiotarsus. The apophysis on the palp basifemor is also very short and inconspicuous and blunted distally. Dactyloscirus pseudophilippinensis can be distinguished from D. philippinensis based on the following setal formulae: palp tibiotarsi with 5 sts instead of 4 sts; leg basifemora 5-5-3-2 sts instead of 5-5-3-1 sts.

Female. Idiosoma 388–513 (433, n=4) long, 263–375 (320) wide.

Gnathasoma ( Fig. 21 ). Subcapitulum ( Fig. 21 a) longer than ½ the length of the idiosoma, 260–298 (278). 2 pairs of adoral setae present, the basal pair short and inconspicuous. Four pairs of setae (hg1–4); hg2 and hg4 short, hg1 2 times and hg3 6 times as long as hg2 and hg4 (15, 7, 40, 8). Palp ( Fig. 21 b) 200–300 (269). Chaetotaxy: trochanter, absent; basifemur with 1 spls; telofemur with 1 spls and 1 apophysis which is short and blunt distally; genu with 4 sts and apophysis adjoining genu and tibiotarsus long and blunted distally, apically hyaline; tibiotarsus with 1 spls (small and inconspicuous), 1 dtsl and 3 sts (1 long, basal; 2 short on apical half). The tibiotarsus ends in a claw. Chelicera ( Fig. 21 c) 205–225 (216), elongate, slightly curved and reticulate basally.

Dorsum ( Fig. 22 a). Proterosomal shield present and reticulate. Two setose trichobothria (ap and pt) present on shield; 213–263 (229) and 233 (n=1), respectively. Two setae (lps and mps) also present on shield; 6–10 (8) and 12–17 (15), respectively. Hysterosomal (median) shield and lateral platelets present, reticulate. Setae c1, d1 and e1 on median shield; 11, 12 and 15, respectively. Setae c2, f1, h1 born on minute sclerotized plates barely larger than setal socket; 9, 27 and 29, respectively. Cupule im present and laterad to e1. Integument striated.

Venter ( Fig. 22 b). Coxal plates I and II fused but retaining suture, without polygonal pattern. Coxal plates III and IV fused but retaining suture, with reticulate pattern. Coxae I–IV setal formula 3-3-3-3. 5 pairs of dorsal setae after coxae II (not including genital and anal setae). Genital plates weakly sclerotized and bearing four pairs of setae (g1–4); g1,2,3 arranged longitudinally, g4 moved laterad of g3 to distal edge of the plate. Two pairs of papillae visible under genital plates. Three pairs of setae on or adjacent to anal plates: 2 pseudanal setae (ps1–2) and h2. Cupule ih present and laterad to ps2.

Legs ( Fig. 23 a–d). Legs I–IV shorter than body: 338–385 (364), 290–343 (311), 290–340 (322) and 338–388 (363), respectively. Chaetotaxy: trochanters I–IV, 1-1-2-1; basifemora I–IV, 5-5-3-2; telofemora I–IV, 5-5-4-4; genua I with 4 asl, 1 mst, 4 sts; genua II with 2 asl, 5 sts; genua III with 1 asl, 5 sts; genua IV with 2 asl, 5 sts; tibiae I with 2 asl, 1 mst, 4 sts; tibiae II with 1 asl, 5 sts; tibiae III with 1 bsl, 5 sts; tibiae IV with 1 T, 4 sts; tarsi I with 4 asl, 1 fam, 2 tsl, 15 sts; tarsi II with 1 asl, 1 tsl, 13 sts; tarsi III with 1 tsl, 17 sts; tarsi IV with 17 sts.

Male and developmental stages. Unknown

Etymology. This species is so named because it closely resembles D. philippinensis .

Material examined (3 individuals on slides). Female holotype ( APGD 10-0726-006), ex. deciduous litter in grass on top of ridge, USA, Arkansas, Washington Co, Ozark National Forest, Weddington (36° 06.322 N, 094° 23.390 W), 26 July 2010, coll. M. J. Skvarla ● 1 female paratype ( APGD 10-0915-001), same locality, 15 Sept. 2010, coll. M. J. Skvarla ● 1 female paratype ( APGD 10-0730-006), ex. moist deciduous litter drifted against slope in creek bottom, USA, Arkansas, Newton Co, Buffalo National River, Steel Creek (36° 02.016 N, 093° 20.137 W), 30 July 2010, coll. M. J. Skvarla ● 1 female paratype ( APGD 11-0124-002), ex litter in creek/ bottomland, USA, Mississippi, Okitibbeha Co, Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge. 6 October 2008, coll. J. G. Hill.

Type deposition. Holotype and 2 female paratypes — ACUA; 1 female paratype — USNM; 1 female paratype — OSAL.

FIGURE 27. Examples in which the lateral platelets are absent. 27c— Redrawn from Gupta (1981), in which setae c2 appear to be missing.

Figures

FIGURE 21. Dactyloscirus pseudophilippinensis sp. nov. Gnathosoma. a — Subcapitulum. b — Chelicera, dorsal. c— Palp, dorsal.

FIGURE 22. Dactyloscirus pseudophilippinensis sp. nov. Idiosoma. a— Dorsal. b— Ven t ral.

FIGURE 23. Dactyloscirus pseudophilippinensis sp. nov. Legs, dorsal. a— Leg I. b — Leg II. c — Leg III. d — Leg IV.