Protonyssus proctorae, 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 : 2271-2274

Protonyssus proctorae sp. n.

( Figures 7 , 8 )

Type material

Male holotype ( ZISP BR 149-5 ), one male and four female paratypes from Conuropsis carolinensis , immature, North America , before 1869, no other data. Holotype, paratypes: ZISP (registration number ZISP BR 149-5 ); other paratypes: AMU (registration number AMU 01729-5 ), UMB (registration number N10299 /02.6.30.4) .

Description

Male (holotype). Anterior end of idiosoma with acute rostral projection ( Figure 7A ). Idiosoma length from rostral apex to bases of setae h3 504, greatest width 245 (in paratype 480×245). Setae se separated by 106. Prodorsal, scapular, humeral, and hysteronotal shields fused to form idiosomal shield covering almost whole dorsal surface of idiosoma. Length of hysterosoma 335. Humeral setae cp blade-like, 144 long, 16 wide; setae c3 short setiform. Opisthosomal lobes narrow, slightly divergent posteriorly, terminal cleft very wide, with narrow and long median extension, greatest length of the cleft 82, greatest width (distance between setae h3) 133. Whole terminal cleft occupied by interlobar membrane, free margin of membrane slightly concave, median incision in the membrane narrow slitshaped, about 22 long. Supranal concavity well-developed, closed, its anterior end extending to mid-level of trochanters IV. Distances between hysteronotal setal rows: c2–d2 53, d2–e2 161, e2–h3 112.

Coxal fields III open in anteromedian angle, anterior ends of epimerites IIIa wide. Coxal fields IV almost completely sclerotized. Genital apparatus narrow, 33×9, genital apodemes fused into narrow arch about 50 long ( Figure 7B ). Genital shield represented by narrow longitudinal sclerite bearing setae g in anterior end. Adanal shield bow-shaped, bearing setae ps3, separated from genital shield. Setae 3a anterior to 3b. Distances between ventral setal rows: 3a–3b 16, 3a–g 47, g–ps3 77.

Setae mG of femorogenua II blade-like, 69 long, 9 wide; setae cG II with very small additional basal spine. Legs III extending beyond lobar apices by tarsus and distal quarter of tibia. Setae sR of trochanters III thickened in basal part, with small basal spine. Tarsus III with apical hook-shaped process ( Figure 7C ). Tarsus IV with apical extension bearing four small teeth ( Figure 7D ). Legs III (femorogenu, tibia, tarsus): 124, 113, 90; legs IV: 78, 66, 36.

Female (paratype). Anterior end of idiosoma with rostral projection as in the male. Idiosomal length 424, greatest width 170 (idiosomal size in three other paratypes 435–440×165–170). Anterior part of prodorsal shield (anterior to row of scapular setae) triangular, 82 in length along median line, 84 in width at posterior margin; setae se separated by 86; posterior part of prodorsal shield and hysteronotal shield fused into entire shield stretching from level of scapular setae to level of setae e2 and having long median sclerotized ridge, length of this shield along median line 280, greatest width 126 ( Figure 8A ); only posterior one-quarter of hysterosoma with relatively soft striated tegument. Pair of small pygidial shields at bases of setae h2, h3. Length of hysterosoma 254. Humeral setae cp large blade-like with very thin and acute apex and indented inner margin, 166 long, 14 wide; setae d2 very thick setiform, 56 long; setae e2 thin setiform, setae f2 bifurcated, with divergent apices, 27 long; setae ps1 narrowly lanceolate, 29 long. Distances between hysteronotal setae and setal rows: c2–d2 131, d2–e2 88, e2–h2 55, h2–h2 56. Epigynium as elongated arch, 58 long, 70 wide; sclerotized lips of oviporus extending to mid-level of trochanters III ( Figure 8B ). Femorogenua I, II with small lateroapical spine, setae cG II with additional basal spine, setae mG II as in the male; setae sR of trochanter III thickened, with small basal tooth, 58 long. Tibiae III, IV greatly elongated, 1.8–1.9 times longer than the length of respective trochanters+femorogenua. Legs III (femorogenu, tibia, tarsus): 42, 69, 58; IV: 44, 136, 66.

Differential diagnosis

The new species seems to be most closely related to Protonyssus larva ( Trouessart, 1885) described from the scarlet macaw Ara macao (Linnaeus, 1758) in Guyana by having lanceolate setae cp in both sexes and median sclerotized ridge in females. Males of P. proctorae sp. n. differ from that species by having the terminal cleft with a narrow median extension originated from its bottom, slit-shaped incision in interlobar membrane, and by the absence of terminal extensions of lobar membrane; females are distinguished by smooth and straight median sclerotized dorsal ridges on dorsal idiosomal shield, indentations on inner margin of setae cp and setiform setae e2. In males of P. larva, the terminal cleft is almost semicircular, the incision in interlobar membrane is absent, while the posterior ends of this membrane form two acute extensions projecting beyond the lobar apices; in females, the median ridge of the hysteronotal shield has seven to eight additional transverse ribs on each side, the margins of setae cp are smooth, and setae e2 are enlarged, sickle-shaped.

Etymology

Species is named in a honour of Dr Heather C. Proctor, University of Alberta, Canada, well-known expert of aquatic and feather mites.

Figures

Figure 7. Protonyssus proctorae sp. n., male. (A) Dorsal view; (B) ventral view; (C) tarsus III; (D) tarsus IV.

Figure 8. Protonyssus proctorae sp. n., female. (A) Dorsal view; (B) ventral view.