Peristerophila coraciidus, Skoracki & Hromada & Sikora, 2020

Skoracki, Maciej, Hromada, Martin & Sikora, Bozena, 2020, Quill mites of the family Syringophilidae (Acariformes: Prostigmata) parasitizing coraciiform birds (Aves: Coraciiformes), Zootaxa 4802 (1), pp. 169-181 : 175-178

Peristerophila coraciidus sp. nov.

( Figures 4 A–E and 5A–E)

Description. FEMALE (holotype and 5 paratypes). Total body length 865 (855–865). Gnathosoma . Stylophore apunctate, covered with longitudinally striation, 180 (180–200) long. Each medial branch of peritremes with 2–3 chambers, each lateral branch with 3–4 chambers. Infracapitulum apunctate. Movable cheliceral digit 155 (150–155) long. Idiosoma . Propodonotal shield weakly sclerotised, apunctate, divided into 2 lateral sclerites bearing bases of setae ve and si; unpaired medial sclerite absent. Length of setae ve and si variable, short 55–60 or long 80–115. Bases of setae c2 situated anterior to level of setal bases se. Hysteronotal shield absent. Setae d2 and e2 subequal in length, both pairs of setae longer than d1. Pygidial shield punctate, reduced to small region bearing bases of setae f1 and f2, anterior margin indiscernible. Both pairs of pseudanal setae (ps1, ps2) subequal in length. Genital plate absent. Genital setae g1 and g2 subequal in length. Setae ag1 2.5–3 times longer than ag2. All coxal fields punctate. Setae 3c 1.6–2 times longer than 3b. Legs. Fan-like setae of legs III–IV with 17–19 tines. Length of setae l’R of legs III and IV variable, short 30–40 or long 50–70. Setae tc”III–IV about twice as long as tc’III–IV. Lengths of setae: ve 55 (55–115), si 50 (55–115), se 260 (255–295), c1 280 (265–275), c2 250 (240–245), d1 (220–225), d2 240 (280–310), e2 265 (255–295), f1 40 (50–65), f2 (275–290), h1 55 (50–55), h2 (390–405), ag1 (180–265), ag2 70 (65–85), ag3 (255–265), ps1 15 (10), ps2 15 (10), g1 65 (50), g2 55 (50), l’RI (20–30), l’RII (25–30), l’RIII 70 (30–65), l’RIV 50 (30–50), 3b (70), 4b 90 (85), 3c (145), 4c (140–155), tc’III–IV 30 (30–35), tc”III–IV 65 (60–75).

MALE (1 paratype). Total body length 605. Gnathosoma . Infracapitulum densely punctate. Stylophore 165 long, covered with striae ornament, apunctate. Each medial and lateral branch of peritremes with 3 chambers. Idiosoma . Propodonotal shield entire, densely punctate in anterior part, bears all propodonotal setae, except c2. Setae ve and si subequal in length. Setae c2 and se subequal in length, both pairs about twice as long as setae ve and si. Bases of setae se and c2 situated on same transverse level, both pairs set anterior to level of setae c1. Two small hysteronotal shields surrounding setal bases d1 weakly sclerotized. Setae d2 distinctly longer (about 3–4 times) than d1 and e2. Pygidial shield with invisible anterior margin. Setae h2 about 5 times longer than f2. Three pairs of agenital setae present, setae ag1 and ag3 about twice as long as ag2. Coxal fields of legs I–IV well sclerotized. Setae 3c and 4c 1.6–1.8 times longer than 3b and 4b. Legs. Fan-like setae of legs III and IV with 12–13 tines. Lengths of setae: ve 115, si 110, c1>170, se 220, c2 200, d1 30, d2 95, e2 25, f2 50, h2 260, ag1 165, ag2 75, ag3 165, 3b 80, 4b 80, 3c 130, 4c 140, l’RIV 35.

Type material. Female holotype and paratypes: 5 females and 1 male from Dollarbird Eurystomus orientalis (Linnaeus) ( Coraciiformes : Coraciidae ), PAPUA NEW GUINEA, 28 April 1910, coll. L. Wiedenfeld [host reg. ZSM 11.683].

Type material deposition. All type specimens are deposited in the AMU (reg. no. AMU–SYR.847), except one female paratype in the ZSM (reg. no. ZSM 20112066) .

Differential diagnosis. Peristerophila coraciidus sp. nov. looks morphologically most similar to P. meropis ( Skoracki, Hromada and Sikora, 2017) known from Merops apiaster in several localities of Europe, Africa, and Asia ( Skoracki et al. 2017). In females of both species, setae ve and si are subequal in the length; the propodonotal shield is divided; and the pygidial shield is reduced to a small sclerite with indistinct anterior margin. This new species differs from P. meropis by characters as follow: in females of P. coraciidus , the length of stylophore is 180–200; the unpaired propodonotal medial sclerite is absent; the genital plate is absent; the lengths of setae ag2 and g1 are 65–85 and 50–65 respectively; all coxal fields are punctate; and fan-like setae of legs III–IV are with 17–19 tines; additionally in males, three pairs of agenital setae are present. In females of P. meropis , the length of stylophore is 140–155; the unpaired propodonotal medial sclerite is present; the genital plate is present; the lengths of setae ag2 and g1 are 25 and 17–18; all coxal fields are apunctate; fan-like setae of legs III–IV are with 13 tines; additionally in males two pairs of agenital setae are present.

Figures

FIGURE 4. Peristerophila coraciidus sp. nov., female. A, dorsal view; B, ventral view; C, peritreme; D, solenidia of leg I; E, fan-like seta p’III. Scale bars: A, B = 100µm, C–E = 20µm.