Uroiphis greeni (Evans) Mašán & Halliday, 2010

Mašán, Peter & Halliday, Bruce, 2010, Review of the European genera of Eviphididae (Acari: Mesostigmata) and the species occurring in Slovakia 2585, Zootaxa 2585, pp. 1-122 : 86-89

Uroiphis greeni (Evans) comb. n.

( Figs 149–158, 170, 172)

Crassicheles greeni Evans, 1980: 33 ; Makarova, 1993: 18; 1994: 110.

Diagnosis (adults and deutonymph). Dorsal idiosoma ( Fig. 149). Sexual dimorphism distinct. In female, idiosoma subglobular, almost hemispherical, strongly sclerotised, 400–520 µm long and 300–425 µm wide; dorsal shield oval, 315–375 µm long and 210–270 µm wide, not completely covering dorsal surface, exposing wide strips of granulated lateral and posteromarginal soft integument; posterior margin of shield sometimes slightly concave; surface strongly striated and reticulated, verrucous on surface; dorsal shield setae j1 lanceolate, z1 needle-like, other dorsal setae modified, moderately elongated, thickened and flattened, pilose, with almost rounded tip. In male, idiosoma dorso-ventrally flattened; dorsal shield 250–315 µm long, suboval, longitudinally striated laterally, completely covering dorsal surface; all dorsal setae normal, needle-like and acuminate. Dorsal shield with indistinct flat vertex, with 30 pairs of setae (z1 with ventral position in male). Setal lengths in female, j1 24–30 µm, j5 21–25 µm, z1 13–14 µm, most dorsocentral setae 22–28 µm, marginal setae usually 30–36 µm, J5 18–25 µm, Z5 21–31 µm, S5 21 –34 µm. In male, anterior and submarginal setae longer than those on posteromedial surface, j1 23–25 µm, j5 25–28 µm, z5 9–12 µm. Anterolateral margins of dorsal shield fused with peritrematal shields. Pore-like structures small.

Ventral idiosoma ( Fig. 150). Presternal platelets absent. All ventral shields strongly sclerotised. Sternal shield 68–75 µm wide at level of the anterior constriction, 72–81 µm long, normally sclerotised, clearly defined, oblong, smooth, anterior margin almost straight, with acuminate anterolateral and rounded posterolateral corners, with three pairs of setae and two pairs of small slit-like pores; first two pairs of setae situated on flat mounds. Endopodal platelets II–III and III–IV free from sternal shield. Metasternal platelets each with metasternal seta st4 and adjacent pore. Epigynal shield relatively long and slender, 50–57 µm in width, slightly constricted medially, acuminate anteriorly, rounded posteriorly, smooth, with a pair of genital setae close to posterior margin; genital pores located in soft integument. Two to three pairs of small elongate postgenital sclerites present. Anal shield suboval to subtriangular, slightly longer than wide, 76–80 µm long, 66– 74 µm wide, with very weak net-like pattern in anterior half, with three circum-anal setae; post-anal seta slightly thickened, subequal or slightly shorter than adanal setae. Exopodal platelets I–III absent, exopodals IV narrow and curved. Metapodal platelets small, suboval or subtriangular. Peritrematal shields well developed along whole peritreme, almost smooth, with short tapered post-stigmatic section; peritremes short, anterior ends reaching posterior level of coxa I. Male with separate sterno-genital and anal shields; sterno-genital shield oblong, 134 µm long, fused with endopodal platelets II–III, smooth, without obvious surface striation or reticulation, with four pairs of setae and three pairs of pores; six post-sternogenital sclerites present; endopodal platelets III–IV not completely fused to sterno-genital shield, with free posterior ends; peritrematal shields well developed, with longitudinal unsclerotised strip in anterior part ( Fig. 154); anterior ends of peritremes reaching lateral margin of coxa II; anal shield subcircular, slightly wider than long, 55 µm long and 64 µm wide, with three subequal needle-like circum-anal setae. Chaetotaxy of soft integument sexually dimorphic: in female, dorsolateral and opisthogastric soft integument with 14 pairs of setae, most slightly thickened, especially those with dorsolateral position, four pairs of ventral setae simple and needle-like; in male, all eight pairs of setae (including st5) inserted on lateral and opisthogastric soft integument simple, short and needlelike.

Gnathosoma . Palptarsus without paired macroeupathidia. Movable digit of chelicera with two subdistal teeth in female, or with one strong subdistal tooth in male. Male spermatodactyl short and feeble, tubular, with funnel-like tip. Epistome with subtriangular base and short smooth central projection, this projection pointed in female, obtusely terminated in male.

Legs. All leg setae needle-like. Legs never with spurs. Trochanter I with five setae, femur II with ten setae (2-4/3-1), tibia II with nine setae (1-4/2-2); chaetotaxy of other leg segments normal for the family as in Table 3.

Deutonymph ( Figs 151–153, 170, 172). Sexual dimorphism distinct. Female deutonymph ( Figs 151, 152) with shorter dorsal setae and greater number of setae on lateral and opisthogastric soft integument than male deutonymph ( Fig. 153). Idiosoma suboval, dorso-ventrally flattened.

Dorsal idiosoma ( Fig. 151). Dorsal shield 280–330 µm long, 185–225 µm wide, covering whole dorsum, central region smooth, lateral regions with coarse longitudinal striae; with 30 pairs of mostly needle-like setae, only j1 lanceolate; z1 often located ventrally. Setal lengths: j1 24–31 µm, j5 19–25 µm, z5 16–21 µm, j6 14–19 µm.

Ventral idiosoma ( Fig. 152). Presternal platelets absent. Sternal shield subtriangular, well sclerotised, 127–138 µm long, anterior margin undulating, posterior margin tapering and rounded, surface smooth, with four pairs of setae and three pairs of pores. Endopodal platelets II–III and III–IV not fused to sternal shield. Sternal setae st5 located in soft integument close to posterior margin of sternal shield. Four small and slightly elongated post-genital sclerites present. Anal shield subcircular, subequal in length and width or slightly wider than long, 50–58 µm long, 51–62 µm wide, smooth, with three circum-anal setae and large anus; post-anal seta slightly shorter than adanals. Exopodal platelets I–III absent, exopodals IV narrow and curved. Metapodal platelets elongate, very narrow. Peritrematal shields strongly reduced, almost absent; peritremes well developed, thickened and nodulated posteriorly, anterior ends reaching anterior margin of coxa I; post-stigmatic pore distinct. Lateral and opisthogastric soft integument with 14 pairs of setae in female deutonymphs ( Figs 151, 152), seven pairs in male deutonymphs ( Fig. 153, in both excluding setae st5); all ventral setae simple, short and needle-like.

Gnathosoma . Cheliceral segments and digits relatively robust ( Fig. 170). Epistome as in Fig. 172.

Remarks. Three deutonymphs of this species were found on the beetle Platystethus arenarius (Staphylinidae) , in excrement of the Alpine marmot at an altitude of 1,750 m. Adults, together with deutonymphs, were obtained from cow dung pads that also contained large numbers of various coprophilous beetles. According to Evans (1980), U. greeni is an associate of saprophylic and coprophilic substrates, and rove beetles of the genera Oxytelus and Platystethus (Staphylinidae) .

Occurrence in Slovakia. New data. Považský Inovec Mts.: 4 ♀♀, 1 ♂, 5 DN, 3 May 2009, Modrová [7373]. Západné Tatry Mts.: 3 DN, 27 July 2005, Zuberec, Smutná Dolina (phoront) [6884] .