Protolichus brachiatus Trouessart, 1884

Mironov, Sergey V. & Dabert, Jacek, 2010, Systematic revision of the feather mite genus Protolichus Trouessart, 1884 (Astigmata, Pterolichidae), Zootaxa 2526, pp. 1-36 : 7-12

Protolichus brachiatus Trouessart, 1884

( Figs. 1–4 , 5 A, B)

Pterolichus (Protolichus) brachiatus Trouessart 1884: 527 , fig. 54; Trouessart and Mégnin 1885: 62, fig. 15; Canestrini and Kramer 1899: 56.

Protolichus (s. str.) brachiatus: Trouessart 1899: 43 ; Favette and Trouessart 1904: 133, Pl. V (part; fig. 1, heteromorph male; not fig. 2, = homeomorph male of crassior group); Dubinin 1956: 298, fig. 143. Protolichus brachiatus: Gaud and Atyeo 1996: 132 .

Material examined. Heteromorph male lectotype, 4 heteromorph male, 2 homeomorph male, 12 female paralectotypes (in 13 slides with number TRT 30F7) ex Lorius domicella (Linnaeus, 1758) , Moluccas, other data unknown; lectotype designated here. 2 heteromorph males, 7 females ( TRT 34F8) ex L. domicella , Moluccas, Ceram Island, Amboina, no other data; 1 mesomorph male ( TRT 34F11) ex Lorius garrulus (Linnaeus, 1758) , no other data. 1 heteromorph male ( TRT 34F9) ex Trichoglossus haematodus (Linnaeus, 1771) , New Guinea, (contamination?); 4 heteromorph males, 3 females ( TRT 34F12) ex T. haematodus massena Bonaparte, 1854 , New Guinea, Yule Island, no other data (contamination?).

Description. Heteromorph male (lectotype, measurements for 4 paralectotypes in parentheses). Idiosoma, length x width, 595 (585–590) x 300 (300–315). Subcapitulum with posterior margin slightly convex, widest part crossed by strong bow-shaped transverse fold, and few faint several transverse striae, rectangular area bearing setae subc clearly outlined ( Fig. 3 F). Prodorsal shield with posterior margin straight (slightly concave in some specimens), length 175 (170–175), surface monotonously punctate except transverse band at level of scapular setae. Setae si spiculiform, 78 (72–78) long. Distance between scapular setae: se-se 80 (75–80), si-si 42 (38–42). Hysterosoma 435 (420–430) long. Length of hysteronotal shield: 420 (410–415), greatest width 250 (250–260), anterior margin slightly convex or straight, surface monotonously punctate. Opisthosomal lobes acute, posterolateral margin (from base of seta h2 to lobar apex) oblique, dorsal surface of lobes without transverse crests ( Figs 1 A, 5A). Terminal cleft as a wide inverted U, 80 (80–85) long, 35 (40–42) in width at level of setae e1. Setae c2 spiculiform, 55 (45–50) long; setae d2, setiform, 30 (30–32) long; setae e2 thick, represented by macrosetae 330 (320–330) long, extending far beyond lobar apices, terminal part filiform. Setae e1 setiform, situated on margin of terminal cleft, approximately at level of marcrosetae h2. Setae f2 spatuliform, with oblique bidentate apex ( Fig. 5 A). Distance between dorsal setae: c2:d2, 145 (138–140), d2:e2 165 (165–172), e2:h3 88 (88–95), e2:e2 145 (148–150), h2:h2 100 (90–110), h3:h3 72 (75–80), ps1:ps1 62 (68–70), e2:h2 52 (48–52), h2:h3 35 (30–37), ps1:h3 20 (20–22). Genital apparatus 31 (28–30) x 20 (19–22), its base at midlevel of trochanters IV. Paragenital apodemes with anterior ends free or in some specimens connected with inner tips of epimerites IIa and IIIa, middle parts (between level of setae 4a and anal field) connected by wide but poorly sclerotized transverse bridge ( Fig. 1 B). Distance between ventral setae: 3b:3a 5 (0–5), 3a:g 25 (22–32), g:4a 70–78 (70–78), 4a:ps3 110 (104–108). Diameter of anal suckers 24 (23–25).

Legs II approximately 1.5 times longer than legs I. Tarsus I with crest-like ventral extension stretching along whole segment, proximal end of this extension right-angled ( Figs 3 A, B). Tibia I with small indented apophysis on ventral side. Genu I and femora I, II without any apophyses. Tarsus II with small ventral extension bearing seta s ( Fig. 3 C). Tibiae II with short and rounded ventral apophysis, solenidion φ verrucous. Seta cG II strongly thickened and verrucous in proximal half, approximately 2.5 times longer than segment. Setae d, e of tarsus IV spiculiform, with distinct basal ring ( Fig. 3 E).

Homeomorph male (2 paralectotypes). (Only standard measurements and features differing from those in heteromorph male are listed). Subcapitulum with posterior margin strongly convex, median part with several transverse striae ( Fig. 4 C). Terminal cleft between opisthosomal lobes as a narrow U, about 5 times longer than wide. Hysteronotal shield with fine net-like pattern in antero-medial part. Setae f2 narrowly spatuliform with bidentate apex ( Fig. 5 B). Anterior ends of paragenital apodemes free from epimerites IIa and IIIa; transverse bridge between middle parts of paragenital apodemes not developed.

Legs II about 1.2 times longer than legs I. Tarsi I, II with blunt-angular ventral margin. Tibiae I, II with small ventral tubercles having scarcely distinct verrucae ( Figs 4 A, B). Setae cG of genu II thickened, finely verrucous, approximately 1.4 times longer than segment. Other segments of legs I, II not modified.

Measurements: Idiosoma, length x width, 527–535 x 285–288. Prodorsal shield: length 140–145. Setae si 35–36 long. Distance between scapular setae: se:se 74–79, si:si 40–45. Hysterosoma 374–380 long. Hysteronotal shield: greatest length 370–371, greatest width 200–215, length of terminal cleft 65, width at level of setae ps1 12. Lateral setae c 2 30–33 long; setae d 2 10–12 long; setae e2 thick represented by macrosetae 245 long. Distances between dorsal setae: c2:d2, 122–130, d2:e2 148–155, e2:h3 80–82, e2: e1 58–60, e2:e2 130–134, h2:h2 75–82, h3:h3 52, ps1:ps1 40, e2:h2 52–60, h2:h 3 28–31, h2: e1 5–7, ps1:h3 15. Genital apparatus 28–30 x 18 –21. Distance between ventral setae: 3b:3a 10–11, 3 a:g 23–31, g:4a 58–65, 4 a:ps3 100–101. Diameter of anal suckers 21–23.

Female (10 paralectotypes measured). Gnathosoma as in homeomorph male. Idiosoma, length x width, 470–490 x 270–290. Posterior margin of prodorsal shield straight, length along midline 128–140, surface monotonously punctate except transverse band at level of scapular setae. Setae si setiform, 12–16 long. Distance between scapular setae se:se 93–100, si:si 58–68. Hysterosoma 350–360 long. Length of hysteronotal shield 320–335, width 230–242, anterior margin slightly concave, surface monotonously punctate; subtegumental sclerotized bars in postero-lateral parts of opisthosoma extending to midlevel between cupules im and ip ( Fig. 2 A). Setae c2, d2 setiform, short; e2 flattened, saber-shaped; setae f2 and ps2 slightly flattened, usually with additional subapical spine; setae e1 situated between levels of openings gl and cupules im; setae ps1 long, about half-width of hysterosoma, with membranous enlargement in basal part. Length of hysteronotal setae: c 2 18–20, d 2 10–12, e2 70 –80, f2 40–42, ps2:ps2 42–55. Distance between setae: c2:d2 124–130, d2:e2 140–145, e2:h3 65–68, e2:e2 158–168, h2:h2 80–90, ps1:ps 1 28–20. Epigynum bow-shaped, 15–20 x 48 –55. Setae mG of genu I thin spiculiform, seta mG II setiform ( Figs. 4 D, E).

Type host and locality. Lorius domicella (designated here), Moluccas.

Remark. In the original description Trouessart (1884) reported that P. brachiatus occurs on parrots of the genera Lorius , Loriculus Blyth, 1850 , and Trichoglossus , but listed specifically only three species, Lorius domicella , Loriculus sclateri Wallace, 1863 and Trichoglossus haematodus from Moluccas, Sulawesi and New Guinea, respectively. The same list of host taxa was given in the revision of Protolichus ( Favette & Trouessart 1904) . Although specimens from these hosts (see examined material) are conspecific, the findings of P. brachiatus on the two latter hosts are obviously the results of post-collection contaminations. Loriculus sclateri belongs to the subfamily Psittacinae and it is very doubtful that it is a natural host of P. brachiatus ; T. haematodus is inhabited by another species (see below remarks to Protolichus crassior ).

Gaud and Atyeo (1996) redefined Protolichus , but did not formally declare a type host for P. brachiatus , the type species of the genus. In the Trouessart collection, W.T Atyeo marked the slide 30F7 as “cotypes”; therefore we designated the lectotype in this specimen series.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Protolichus brachiatus, heteromorph male. A—dorsal view, B—ventral view.

FIGURE 2. Protolichus brachiatus, female. A—dorsal view, B—ventral view.

FIGURE 3. Protolichus brachiatus, heteromorph male. A—leg I, dorsal view, B—tarsus I, ventral view, C—leg II, dorsal view, D—leg III, dorsal view, E—leg IV, dorsal view, F—gnathosoma, ventral view.

FIGURE 4. Protolichus brachiatus. A—leg I of homeomorph male, dorsal view, B—leg II of homeomorph male, dorsal view, C—gnathosoma of homeomorph male, ventral view, D—leg I of female, dorsal view, E—leg II of female, dorsal view, F—tarsus III of female, dorsal view, G—tarsus IV of female, dorsal view.

FIGURE 5. Dorsal view of male opisthosoma of Protolichus brachiatus (A, B) and P. strangulatus (C, D). A, Cheteromorph male, B, D—homeomorph male.