Passeroptes formosus, Wang & Mu & Su & Liu, 2014

Wang, Zi-Ying, Mu, Ning, Su, Xiao-Hui & Liu, Huai, 2014, Three new species of the genus Passeroptes Fain (Astigmata: Dermationidae) from China, Zootaxa 3838 (1), pp. 87-97 : 88-90

Passeroptes formosus sp. nov.

( Figs. 1 , 2 , 3 )

Description. MALE (holotype). Body 205 long (185–240 in 9 paratypes) and 155 wide (135–175). Idiosomal shields devoid of ornamentation, soft idiosomal cuticle striated, without scales or tubercles. Dorsum. Distance between propodonotal and hysteronotal shields about 11. Propodonotal shield: 40 long (37–54) and 55 wide (52–74), its posterolateral extensions encompassing bases of setae se. Posterior margin of propodonotal shield not straight, corrugated. Setae se short, only about 9 long. Hysteronotal shield transversally separated at level of femora IV; its anterior part 65 long (57–66) and 94 wide (88–100), its lobar part paired, 79 long (74–84) and 28 wide (23–28). Distance between lobar hysteronotal shields 31 (28–34). Setae d2 present. Humeral shields well developed, with bent extensions, forming acute angle. Terminal cleft about 75 long. Posterior interlobar membranes overlapping 9 wide (9–11). Venter. Coxal fields III opened in anterior third. Genital arch as an inverted V with tips strongly curved laterally. Aedeagus about 14 long. Adanal shields 18 long (16–19) and 4 wide (4–5), subparallel to each other. Coxal apodeme IVb 23 long (20–23) and 3 wide (3–4). Diameter of adanal suckers about 11. Cupules ih situated postero-lateral to adanal suckers. Legs. Legs III and IV subequal, 100–110 long. Femora III with 1 dorsal and 1 ventral moderately developed retrorse processes. Solenidion ω1 I absent. Setae ba- I, II absent. Tarsi IV curved medially and produced apically. Length of setae: cp 83 (89–115), c3 25 (26–31), h2 155 (150–170), h3 57 (56–69), ps1 17 (16–21), ps2 44 (39–47), d II 51 (50–65), d III 81 (76–95), ω3 16 (13–17), ω1 II 16 (15–18), φ I 23 (29–32), φ II 43 (41–50), φ III about 5, φ IV about 10, σ1 I 17 (13–17), σ II about 4.

FEMALE (10 paratypes). Body 185–215 long and 130–190 wide. Idiosomal shields without ornamentation, soft idiosomal cuticle striated, without scales or tubercles. Dorsum. Distance between propodonotal and hysteronotal shields about 30. Propodonotal shield 42–59 long and 57–77 wide, postero-1ateral extensions encompassing bases of setae se and si. Posterior margin of propodonotal shield circular. Setae se short, only about 10 long. Hysteronotal shield 82–105 long and 65–90 wide. Postero-lateral angles of hysteronotal shield with ovalshaped extensions. Setae d2 present. Humeral shields well developed, with bent extensions. Venter. Coxal fields III closed. Adanal shields well developed, separated from each other, encompassing setae ps1, ps2, ps3, h2, and h3. Legs. Legs III and IV subequal, 110–130 long. Femora III and IV each with 1 dorsal and 1 ventral moderately developed retrorse processes. Solenidion ω1 I absent. Setae ba I and II absent. Lengths of setae: cp 94–125, c3 19–27, h2 135–190, h3 29–48, ps2 19–23, d II 49–60, d III 60–69, ω3 about 15, ω1 II about 19, φ I about 32, φ II about 37, φ III and φ IV about 2, σ1 I about 14, and σ II about 2.

Type material. Holotype male, 9 male and 10 female paratypes ex Garrulax formosus formosus (Verreaux) ( Passeriformes : Timaliidae ), CHINA: Guizhou, Guiyang, 26°56'04'' N, 106°44'17'' E, 5 January 2013, coll. X. -H. Su.

Etymology. The specific epithet derives from the specific name of the host.

Differential diagnosis. The new species is closest to Passeroptes eulabis Fain, 1965 from Gracula religiosa Linnaeus ( Eulabes javana Cuvier was used in Fain's original paper) ( Passeriformes : Sturnidae ) ( Fain 1965). In both sexes of these two species, setae se are short and setae d2 are present; in males, only femora III have retrorse processes and tarsi IV are curved medially and produced apically; in females, coxal fields III are closed and femora III and IV each bear the one dorsal and one ventral retrorse process. The new species differs from P. eulabis in the following features. In both sexes of P. formosus sp. nov., trochanters I and II have no processes, setae ba I and II are absent, and the humeral shields have bent extensions; in males, the hysteronotal shield is transversely separated, and coxal apodemes IVb are subequal to the adanal shields; in females, the posterior angles of the hysteronotal shield have oval-shaped extensions and the adanal shields are well developed and bear setae ps3. In both sexes of P. eulabis , setae ba I, II are present; in males, the hysteronotal shield is not separated transversally and the adanal shields are wider than the coxal apodemes IVb; in females, the posterior angles of the hysteronotal shield are round and not produced, the adanal shields are short and setae ps3 are situated off these shields, and trochantera I and II have small conical lateral processes.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Passeroptes formosus sp. nov., male. A—dorsal view, B—ventral view.

FIGURE 2. Passeroptes formosus sp. nov., legs of male. A–D legs I– IV in dorsal view.

FIGURE 3. Passeroptes formosus sp. nov., female. A—dorsal view, B—ventral view.