Pterygosoma longipalpae Lawrence, 1936

Fajfer, Monika, 2020, A systematic revision of the scale mite genus Pterygosoma Peters, 1849 (Acariformes: Pterygosomatidae), Zootaxa 4805 (1), pp. 1-147 : 59-63

Pterygosoma longipalpae Lawrence, 1936 ( Figs 47–50 )

Pterygosoma longipalpae Lawrence, 1936: 25 , fig. 19

Pterygosoma melanum longipalpae Jack, 1962: 275 , fig. 13b–c

Type host: Agame atra (Sauria: Agamidae ). Type locality: South Africa (Namaqualand).

Redescription. FEMALE (based on neotype and 8 non-type specimens from Agama atra , A. anchietae and A. aculeata ). Gnathosoma . Chelicerae 230–255 long; basal swollen part 80–95 long, slender distal part 145–165 long. Fixed cheliceral digit 20–30 long, with spinous process. Setae dF and dG, 50–60 and 55–65 long, respectively. Palpal tibia with short claw; palpal tarsi with 3 setae. Subcapitulum with filiform setae n, 20–30 long. Peritremes about 165 long. Hypostome about 185 long, with smooth slightly flattened apex. Idiosoma 480–680 long and 1000–1220 wide. Dorsum with about 80 pairs of serrate antero-lateral setae, 30–65 long; 4–6 pairs of paddle-shaped postero-lateral setae, 70–125 long; 2 pairs of dorso-median setae: dm1 filiform and 65–80 long, dm2 paddle-shaped and 105–120 long; 22–31 pairs of paddle-shaped peripheral setae, 130–150 long. Eyes present. Venter. Setae vm1 filiform, vm2 smooth or with barely discernible serration, vm3 smooth. Genital slit situated dorsally. Genital series represented by 1 pair of spine-like setae g1, 40–55 long. All pseudanal setae ps1–ps4 rounded. Legs setation as in agamae group i.e. setae of trochanters I–IV (1–1–1–1), femora I–IV (3–1–1–1), genua I–IV (2–1–1–1), tibiae I–IV (5–3–3–3). All setae on each podomere filiform, except for slightly serrate setae d’FI–IV. Setation of tarsi I−IV as in group B: I 12 setae (ft, tc’, tc”, p’, p”, a’, a”, it’, it”, u’, u”, vs’) and solenidion ω1; II 8 setae (tc’, p’, p”, a’, a”, u’, u”, vs’) and ω1; III and IV with 8 setae each (tc’, p’, p”, a’, a”, u’, u”, vs’). Setae tc’ of legs II–IV, a’, a”, u’, u” of legs I–IV and vs’ and vs” of legs I–IV smooth.

MALE (based on description presented in Jack 1962b, amended). Gnathosoma as in female. Chelicerae about 145 long; swollen cheliceral part about 80 long, slender distal part about 75 long. Idiosoma 285 long and 565 wide. Dorsum with about 40 pairs of antero-lateral serrate setae, 35–55 long; 3–5 pairs slightly apically expanded setae situated posteriorly, 90–110 long; 3 pairs of smooth dorso-median setae dm1–dm3, about 55, 75 and 35 long, respectively; 18 pairs of paddle-shaped setae, 130–190 long. Eyes absent. Aedeagus about 135 long, directed forward; genito-anal opening with 1 pair of filiform setae. Venter as in female. Legs I–IV as in female.

PROTONYMPH. Gnathosoma as in female. Chelicerae 85 long; basal swollen part 45 long, slender distal part 40 long. Fixed cheliceral digit 10 long. Setae dF 20–25 long, setae dG 25 long. Subcapitular setae n absent. Idiosoma 295−310 long and 590−600 wide. Dorsum with about 40 pairs of antero-lateral serrate setae 20–35 long; 5 pairs of paddle-shaped postero-lateral setae, 40– 60 long; 2 pairs of dorso-median setae dm1 and dm2, 35–40 long. Setae dm1 slightly serrate, setae dm2 paddle-shaped. Eyes present. Venter. Setae vm1 filiform, vm2 and vm3 with barely discernible serration. Peripheral series represented by 24–26 pairs of paddle-shaped setae, 60–70 long, inserted ventrally in posterior part of idiosoma . Genital slit situated dorsally. Pseudanal series represented by 4 pairs of setae ps1–ps4, 25–40, 40–45, 65–75 and 65–80 long, respectively. Setae ps1 serrate, setae ps2–ps4 paddle-shaped. Legs as in female except for lack of setae vGII–IV.

Type material (not examined). Ten specimens from Agama atra Daudin (Sauria: Agamidae ), SOUTH AF- RICA: Namaqualand region.

Type material deposition. All type material deposited in the SAM is lost (Dawn Larsen, personal communication) .

Neotype (examined). One female neotype (AMU-PTE.22.1) from Agama atra Daudin ( ZMUC no. R361105), SOUTH AFRICA: Eastern Cape, Port Elizabeth , 24 August 1875, coll. Power.

Non-type material (examined). Four females ( NHM no.1966.2.22.158–165) from Agama aculeata Merrem (Sauria: Agamidae ) ( NHM no. 1914.2.28.8), NAMIBIA: Great Karas Mountains, 28 February 1914, coll. P. A. Methuen; 4 females ( NHM no. 1966.2.22.152–157) from Agama anchietae Bocage ( NHM no. 1936.8.1.376–379), NAMIBIA: Hardap Region, Maltahohe, 1 August 1936, coll. Dr K. Hashemite; 2 protonymphs (AMU-PTE.22.1) from Agama atra Daudin ( ZMUC no. R361105), SOUTH AFRICA: Eastern Cape, Port Elizabeth, 24 August 1875, coll. Power.

Hosts and distribution. This species is known from Agama atra from South Africa [Namaqualand region;

Eastern Cape province, Vondeling and Port Elizabeth (new locality) (present study); Agama aculeata from South

Africa [Western Cape province, Murraysburg] ( Lawrence 1936), Namibia [II Karas Region, Great Karas Mountains; Namibia Erongo region, Erongo Mountains; South-West Africa] ( Jack 1962b) and Agama anchietae from Namibia [Hardap Region, Maltahohe] ( Jack 1962b).

Remarks. This study shows that in P. longipalpae setae vGI are absent vs. presence of these setae in Jack’s description of leg chaetotaxy (1964).

Pterygosoma longipalpae was considered as a subspecies of P. melanus Hirst, 1917 (= P. melanum Hirst, 1926 ) i.e. P. melanum longipalpae Jack, 1962 ( Jack 1962b) . However, the morphological differences between specimens analyzed here allow the elevation of P. melanum longipalpae to species level. In P. longipalpae setae dm1 are filiform (vs. paddle-shaped setae dm 1 in P. melanus ), 22–31 pairs of the peripheral setae are present (vs. 16–20 pairs), the eyes are present (vs. the eyes are absent), one pair of the genital setae is present (vs. three pairs of setae g1–g3), setae vGIII–IV are present (vs. setae vGIII–IV are absent). For these reasons, in accordance with Article 72 of the International Code of Zooogical Nomenclature (ICZN 1999, 2012) I designate one of the specimens of Pterygosoma melanum longipalpae Jack, 1962 as a neotype.

Figures

FIGURE 47. Pterygosoma longipalpae Lawrence, 1936, female in dorsal view.

FIGURE 48. Pterygosoma longipalpae Lawrence, 1936, female in ventral view.

FIGURE 49. Pterygosoma longipalpae Lawrence, 1936, female; details. A, gnathosoma in dorsal view; B, tarsus I in ventrolateral view; C, tarsus II in ventro-lateral view.

FIGURE 50. Pterygosoma longipalpae Lawrence, 1936, protonymph; A, dorsal view; B, ventral view.