Neorhytidelasma conuropsis, Mironov & Dabert & Ehrnsberger, 2005

Mironov, S. V., Dabert, J. & Ehrnsberger, R., 2005, Six new feather mite species (Acari: Astigmata) from the carolina parakeet Conuropsis carolinensis (Psittaciformes: Psittacidae), an extinct parrot of North America, Journal of Natural History 39 (24), pp. 2257-2278 : 2265-2268

Neorhytidelasma conuropsis sp. n. ( Figures 4 , 5C, D )

Type material

Male holotype ( ZISP BR 149-3 ), two male and two female paratypes from Conuropsis carolinensis , immature, North America , before 1869, no other data. Holotype, paratypes: ZISP (registration number ZISP BR 149-3 ); other paratypes: AMU (registration number AMU 01729-3 ), UMB (registration number N10298 /02.6.30.3) .

Male (holotype). Idiosomal length excluding terminal lamellae 260, width 154 (idiosomal size in two paratypes 253–260×128–132). Prodorsal shield: greatest length 80, width at posterior margin about 112, with extending anterolateral projection, posterior angles fused with scapular shields and demarcated from them by two to three striae. Distances between scapular setae: se–se 62, si–si 41. Hysteronotal shield: greatest length 172, width of anterior part 132, anterior margin straight, anterior part fused with humeral shield, surface without ornamentation ( Figure 4A ). Cupules im visible, situated posterior to gland openings gl. Setae f2 absent; setae h1 thin setiform, situated mesal to bases of macrochaetae h2; setae ps2 setiform, thick. Lateral margins of opisthosoma with wide, bluntly rounded lateral extensions. Terminal cleft semi-ovate, with narrow membrane along its margin, supranal concavity completely fused with terminal cleft, length of the cleft from bases of setae h3 to its anterior end 22. Terminal lamellae leaf-shaped, obliquely directed to midline, with five to six transverse crests (five to seven in paratypes), length from base of setae h3 to apices 25–28, greatest width 9–10; incision formed by free margin of interlobar membrane and inner margins of terminal lamellae ovate. Distances between hysteronotal setae and setal rows: c1–c1 60, d1–d1 68, e1– e1 20, h1–h1 46, h3–h3 47, c1–d2 58, c2–d2 63, d2– e1 53, d2– h1 102. Epimerites I fused as a Y, with narrow sclerotization around them. Genital apparatus in normal position about 15×9, branches of genital arch very short and thin ( Figure 4B ). Genital apodemes with well-expressed posteromedian angle, extending by anterior ends to level of genital arch apex. Setae 3a slightly anterior to 3b, setae g posterior to tips of epimerites IIIa and distant from each other as anterior ends of genital apodemes. Anal discs slightly ovate, longitudinal diameter 16, surrounded by wide punctured membrane. Ventral measurements: 3a–g 28, g–4a 18, 4a–ps3 44. Tarsus IV 28 in length, with distal paraxial claw and longitudinal crest on paraxial surface bearing five to six small teeth ( Figure 4C ).

Female (paratype). Idiosomal length 406, width 156 (idiosomal size in other paratype 410×180). Prodorsal shield as in the male, length 98, width 118. Distance between scapular setae: se–se 69, si–si 49. Hysteronotal shield: greatest length 285, width of anterior part 143, anterior margin straight, surface without transverse striation, pygidial part of the shield not separated. Hysteronotal gland openings gl posterior to setae d2; cupules im between levels of setae d2 and gland openings, approximately equidistant from them; setae f2 absent; setae e1 and h1 arranged in inverted low trapezium, setae e1 posterior to h1 ( Figure 5C ). Supranal concavity visible, ovate. Posterior end of opisthosoma with narrowed terminal extension, carrying setae h2, h3, ps1, ps2. Margin of opisthosoma between setae h3 concave. Distances between hysteronotal setae and setal rows: c1–c1 80, d1–d1 81, e1– e1 13, h1–h1 73, h3–h3 24, c1–d2 93, c2–d2 99, d2–e1 117, d2–h1 123, h1– e1 13.

Epimerites I fused as in the male. Epigynium semicircular, 27×51, almost completely anterior to level of setae c2 ( Figure 5D ). Ambulacral discs as in the male.

Differential diagnosis

Neorhytidelasma conuropsis sp. n. belongs to the mesomexicana species group, which is characterized by the following combination of characters: in both sexes, the anterior end of prodorsal shield lacking spine-shaped projections; in males, opisthosoma with lateral bluntangular extension, the terminal lamellae with widely separated bases, obliquely directed by apices to midline and bearing transverse crests, setae h1 are close to bases of macrochaetae h2 (Atyeo et al. 1988; Mironov and Pérez 2003). Among two species previously referred to this group, the new species is most similar to N. mesomexicana (Atyeo et al., 1988) described from the green parakeet Aratinga holochlora (Sclater, 1859) in Mexico by having the prodorsal shield completely fused with the scapular shields. In N. bicostata (Atyeo and Pérez, 1988) known from the subspecies of orange-fronted parakeet A. canicularis clarae Moore, 1937 in Mexico, these shields are independent from each other. Males of the new species differ from N. mesomexicana by having setae g situated posterior to tips of epimerites IIIa and distant to each other ( Figure 4B ); females are distinguished by the position of epigynium, which is almost completely anterior to the level of setae c2, and well-expressed supranal concavity. In the males of N. mesomexicana , the genital setae g are situated at the level of epimerites IIIa and the distance between them is twice shorter than between setae 4a situated on inner margins of genital apodemes; in the females of this species, the anterior margin of epigynium is approximately at the level of setae c2, and the supranal concavity is not expressed.

Etymology

Specific name is directly derived from the generic name of the host.

Figures

Figure 4. Neorhytidelasma conuropsis sp. n., male. (A) Dorsal view; (B) ventral view; (C) tarsus IV.

Figure 5. Females of pterolichid mites. (A) Genoprotolichus simplex sp. n., dorsal view; (B) Genoprotolichus simplex sp. n., oviporal region; (C) Neorhytidelasma conuropsis sp. n., dorsal view; (D) Neorhytidelasma conuropsis sp. n., oviporal region.