Neoaulonastus apalis, Klimovičová, Miroslava, Mikula, Peter, Kahure, Njoki & Hromada, Martin, 2014

Klimovičová, Miroslava, Mikula, Peter, Kahure, Njoki & Hromada, Martin, 2014, A review of quill mites (Acari: Syringophilidae) parasitising Kenyan birds, Zootaxa 3857 (4), pp. 571-580 : 573

Neoaulonastus apalis sp. nov.

( Fig. 1 )

Description. FEMALE. Total body length of holotype 705 (620–715 in 10 paratypes). Gnathosoma . Infracapitulum punctate. Each medial branch of peritremes with 2 chambers, each lateral branch with 6 chambers. Stylophore punctate, 150 long (145–150). Movable cheliceral digit 100 (95–105) long. Idiosoma . Propodonotal shield with indiscernible margins, sparsely punctate. Length ratio of setae ve: si 1.2:1. All propodonotal setae and setae d2 serrate, other idiosomal setae smooth. Bases of setae se situated slightly anterior to level of setae c1. Hysteronotal shield absent. Setae c1 twice as long as d2. Bases of setae d1 situated closer to d2 than to e2. Pygidial shield with indiscernible anterior margin, weakly sclerotized, striae visible in anterior part, punctate in posterior part. Length ratio of setae f1: f2 1:3.8; h1: h2 1:6.5. Genital setae 1.5 times longer than pseudanal setae. Genital plate weakly sclerotized, punctate. All coxal fields weakly developed, punctate. Legs. Fan-like setae pʼ and pʼʼ of legs III and IV with 8 tines. Setae tc“III and IV 1.2 times longer than tc‘III and IV. Lengths of setae: ve 30 (25–40), si 25 (20–35), se 175 (155–195), c1 230 (195–235), c2 135 (155–175), d1 170 (150–175), d2 115 (110–145), e2 175 (150–190), f1 45 (30–50), f2 170 (145–170), h1 40 (35–50), h2 260 (230–270), ps1 20 (15–20), ps2 20 (15–20), g1 30 (20–40), g2 30 (25–40), ag1 (95–140), ag2 80 (70–115), ag3 155 (130–160), tc‘III– IV 45 (35–45), tc“ III–IV 55 (50–60), 3c 55 (55–70).

MALE. Unknown.

Etymology. The specific epithet (a noun in apposition) refers to the generic name of the host— Apalis .

Type material. Female holotype and 10 female paratypes from Apalis porphyrolaema Reichenow and Neumann ( Passeriformes : Cisticolidae ); KENYA: Nyandarua, 0°44'58.84"S, 36°40'56.68"E, elev. 2519 m a.s.l., 21 November 2012, coll. W. Wamiti. Mites removed by M. Klimovičová.

Type material. Holotype and 5 female paratypes are deposited in the AMU (Reg. No. AMU–SYR.474), except 5 female paratypes in the LMEE (Reg. No. LMEE /S/5).

Differential diagnosis. This new species is close to Neoaulonastus tanzanicus Skoracki, Hromada and Unsoeld, 2013 . In females of both species, each medial and lateral peritrematal branches are represented by two and six chambers, respectively; setae se are situated slightly anterior to c1; the hysteronotal shield is absent; setae c1 are twice as long as d2; the pygidial shield is weakly sclerotized. The both species are distinguishable as follow: in females of N. apalis , the infracapitulum is punctate; the propodonotal shield is sparsely punctate; the length ratios of setae ve: si and f1: f2 are 1.2:1 and 1:3.8, respectively; the pygidial shield is punctate in posterior part; the genital plate is present. In females of N. tanzanicus , the infracapitulum is apunctate; the propodonotal shield is apunctate; length ratios of setae ve:si and f1:f2 are 1:1 and 1:4–5, respectively; the pygidial shield is apunctate; the genital plate is absent.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Neoaulonastus apalis sp. nov., female from Apalis porphyrolaema. A, dorsal view; B, ventral view; C, peritremes. Scale bars: A, B = 50 Μm; C = 20 Μm.