Proctolaelaps gizaensis, Abo-Shnaf, Reham I. A. & De Moraes, Gilberto J., 2016

Abo-Shnaf, Reham I. A. & De Moraes, Gilberto J., 2016, Proctolaelaps species (Acari: Mesostigmata: Melicharidae) from Egypt, with description of a new species and complementary descriptions of other five species, Zootaxa 4162 (3), pp. 479-503 : 487-490

Proctolaelaps gizaensis n. sp.

( Figs 23–31 )

Diagnosis. Dorsal shield reticulate, unsclerotised lateral cuticle with three pairs of UR setae; presternal region with a pair of transversely elongate platelets followed by transverse striae; sternal, genital and anal shields reticulate; opisthogaster with 12 pairs of setae on unsclerotised cuticle; with two pairs of metapodal plates; spermathecal apparatus distinguishable as lightly sclerotised tubuli whose median section is slightly more sclerotised than the remainder; light sclerotisation suggests duct as of seemingly variable diameter; anteromedian region of epistome rounded and denticulate; fixed cheliceral digit with 16 teeth and large antiaxial membranous lobe; movable digit with three teeth; leg IV without macrosetae.

Adult female (five specimens measured)

Dorsum of idiosoma ( Fig. 23 ): dorsal shield 384 (378–391) long and 246 (230 – 255) wide at widest level. Podonotal region of the dorsal shield reticulate, except for a smooth central band between j4 and j6, with 23 pairs of setae (j1–j6, z1–z6, s1–s6, r2–r6), five pairs of distinguishable lyrifissures and four pairs of distinguishable pores. Opisthonotal region reticulate, but with reticles more transversely elongate between right and left setae of Z series than on podonotal region and remaining of opisthonotal region, and smooth centrally between J1 and J4; with 21 pairs of setae (J1–J5, Z1–Z5, S1–S5, R1–R6) (in a paratype female right R6 missing), eleven pairs of distinguishable lyrifissures and three pairs of distinguishable pores. Most dorsal shield setae of uniform length and shape and shorter than distance to respective subsequent setae, aciculate and smooth, except Z5, stout and serrate (J5 and R1–R6 shortest). Unsclerotised lateral cuticle with three pairs of setae (UR1–UR3), all short and aciculate, and with a lyrifissure (Rp) between R3 and R4. Setal lengths: j1 27 (23–30), j2 24 (22–26), j3 29 (28–30), j4 28 (26– 30), j5 26 (25–27), j6 28 (27–29), z1 16 (14–17), z2 29 (26–31), z3 30 (27–32), z4 34 (32–35), z5 29 (28–30), z6 29 (27–31), s1 24 (22–25), s2 24 (23–26), s3 33 (31–35), s4 35 (33–37), s5 35 (33–36), s6 33 (32–34), r2 27 (26–27), r3 32 (29–34), r4 27 (24–29), r5 30 (28–33), r6 23 (22–24), J1 27 (26–29), J2 30 (28–31), J3 28 (26–30), J4 32 (30–34), J5 16 (14–17), Z1 30 (28–31), Z2 31 (28–33), Z3 34 (32–36), Z4 36 (33–38), Z5 61 (59–63), S1 30 (28– 31), S2 30 (29–32), S3 28 (25–32), S4 29 (26–32), S5 27 (25–29), R1 21 (21–22), R2 19 (19–20), R3 20 (19–21), R4 18 (16–19), R5 20 (19–21), R6 20 (18–21), UR1 15 (15–16), UR2 17 (16–18), UR3 18 (17–20).

Venter of idiosoma ( Figs 24–26 ): all setae aciculate and smooth. Base of tritosternum 15 (14–15) long and 12 (11–12) wide at medium level; laciniae 61 (58–64) long, divided for about 60% of their total length. Presternal region with a pair of transversely elongate platelets followed by transverse striae. Sternal shield fused with anterior portion of endopodal plate, with a pair of pore (gst1) on distal end of extension between coxae I–II, reticulate; 97 (95–100) long and 100 (98–103) wide at level of st2, posterior margin slightly concave, in some specimens with a discreet median protrusion, with three pairs of setae (st1–st3) and two pairs of lyrifissures. Posterior portion of endopodal plate represented by a large tri-radiate fragment between coxae III–IV. Metasternal plate oval, with the fourth sternal setae (st4) and lyrifissure iv3. Genital shield reticulate, 148 (142–159) long, including hyaline flap; with posteriorly divergent lateral margins; posterior margin convex, 75 (68–84) wide at posterior corners, bearing genital setae (st5); distance between genital setae 56 (51–62); paragenital lyrifissures (iv5) on unsclerotised cuticle, posterolaterad of st5. Anal shield ovate, reticulate, 89 (83–92) long and 61 (58–63) wide at widest level, with circumanal setae and a pair of marginal pores posterolaterad of para-anal setae; anal opening not enlarged, 33 (31– 34) long including frame. Exopodal plate distinct from posterior margin of coxa IV to anterior margin of coxa II; with a pore near posterior end. Unsclerotised cuticle around anal shield with JV1–JV5, ZV1–ZV5, SV1 and SV2 (a paratype female without right SV2) and four pairs of lyrifissures. With two pairs of metapodal plates, the inner smaller. Setal lengths: st1 25 (24–26), st2 24 (23–26), st3 25 (23–26), st4 27 (25–29), st5 23 (22–24), JV1 22 (20– 23), JV2 22 (21–23), JV3 20 (18–24), JV4 20 (19–21), JV5 32 (30–34), ZV1 18 (17–19), ZV2 19 (17–20), ZV3 18 (17–20), ZV4 21 (19–23), ZV5 22 (21–23), SV1 17 (16–18), SV2 17 (16–17), para-anal 19 (19–20) and post-anal 44 (43–45).

Peritrematic plate and peritreme ( Figs 23, 26 ): peritrematic plate fused with dorsal shield at level of r2, separate or fused to exopodal plate by a small bridge beside coxa IV; with a lyrifissure and a pore in region between coxae II–III (ip2, gp1), with two lyrifissures and a pore behind stigma (ip3, ip4, gp2). Peritreme extending forward to level of z1.

Spermatheca ( Fig. 27 ): spermathecal apparatus distinguishable as a pair of lightly sclerotised tubuli about 150 long; median section, about 25 (24–26) long, slightly more sclerotised and wider; light sclerotisation suggests duct as of variable diameter; insemination pore apparently on posterior region of coxa III.

Gnathosoma ( Figs 28–30 ): anteromedian region of epistome rounded and denticulate. Cheliceral dorsal and antiaxial lyrifissures and dorsal seta distinct; hyaline rim on paraxial face of chelicera with 8–12 teeth, at a level distinctly higher than row of teeth on fixed digit. Fixed digit 27 (26–29) long, with 16 teeth and large antiaxial membranous lobe; movable digit 32 (30–34) long, with three teeth (the subterminal tooth not aligned with others) and with a ventral projection near base. Hypostome with h1 about as thick as h2, h3 and sc; with a small, acuminate membranous process near basal paraxial margin of corniculus (difficult to see in some specimens). Deutosternum with eight transverse lines, delimited by subparallel lateral lines between first and eighth transverse lines; first (most distal) line smooth; second to eighth lines respectively with 5, 3, 5, 5, 8, 10 and 4 denticles (holotype with an extra line anteriad of sc, with 6 denticles). Corniculi parallel to each other, distally pointed, about 26 (23–27) long and 8 (7–9) wide at the base. Setal lengths: h1 26 (26–27), h2 18 (17–19), h3 37 and sc 21 (21–22); palp trochanter setae av 24 (23–26) and pv 22 (20–24).

Legs ( Fig. 31 ): pretarsi I–IV each with a pair of claws and pulvillus with three rounded lobules. Leg lengths: I, 376 (365–394); II, 311 (293–326); III, 324 (305–336) and IV, 397 (391–411). Leg chaetotaxy—genua: I—2 3/2 3/1 2; II—2 3/1 2/1 2; III—2 2/1 2/1 1; IV—2 2/1 3/0 1; tibiae: I—2 3/2 3/1 2; II—2 2/1 2/1 2; III—2 1/1 2/1 1; IV—2 1/1 3/1 2. Without distinct macrosetae.

Adult male: unknown.

Type specimens. Holotype female from litter underneath royal palm, at Orman Botanical Garden (31° 12' E, 30° 1' N), Giza governorate, September 20, 2012 ; three paratype females from litter underneath sesame, at the Faculty of Agriculture Farm (29° 13' E, 28° 45' N), Cairo University, Giza governorate, September 29, 2012 ; seventeen paratype females from sugarcane stem, at the same locality, September 20 and November 29, 2012, May 13 and 19, 2014 ; three paratype females from litter underneath onion, at Senuris (30° 15' E, 29° 6' N), Fayoum governorate, October 1, 2012, all deposited in the mite reference collection of Departamento de Entomologia e Acarologia, Escola Superior de Agricultura “ Luiz de Queiroz ”, Universidade de São Paulo, Piracicaba, São Paulo, Brazil. One paratype female from sugarcane stem, at the Faculty of Agriculture Farm (29° 13' E, 28° 45' N), Cairo University , Giza governorate, November 29, 2012 ; one paratype female from litter underneath royal palm, at Orman Botanical Garden (31° 12' E, 30° 1' N), Giza governorate, September 20, 2012 ; both deposited in the mite reference collection of Zoology and Agricultural Nematology Department, the Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University, Giza governorate.

Etymology. The specific name gizaensis refers to “from Giza governorate ”, locality where the holotype was collected.

Remarks. This new species is most similar to Proctolaelaps bloemfonteinensis Hanekom, Loots & Theron, 1988 , Proctolaelaps deleoni Nawar, Childers & Abou-Setta, 1991 , Proctolaelaps drosophilae Karg, Baker & Jenkinson, 1995 , Proctolaelaps metwalyi Ibrahim & Taha, 1989 , Proctolaelaps regalis De Leon, 1963 , Proctolaelaps roodeplaatensis Hanekom, Loots & Theron, 1988 and Proctolaelaps subcorticalis Lindquist, 1971 . Important differences between these species and the new species include: P. bloemfonteinensis , post-anal seta stout, metapodal plates absent; P. deleoni , sternal shield reticulate only over anterior half, posterior margin of sternal shield deeply concave, anterior hyaline section of genital shield acuminate and almost reaching level of st2, epistome weakly triramous; P. drosophilae , opisthogaster with 13 pairs of setae, peritrematic plate truncate or with a small notch of variable depth posteriorly, epistome subtriangular, ratio between width/length of epistome about 1.1 long (1.7 in the new species); P. metwalyi , dorsal shield setae longer and reaching base of the respective subsequent setae, sternal and genital shields mostly reticulate; P. regalis , setae j1–j3 absent, ratio between setae h3 / h1 about 1.6 (1.3 in the new species); P. roodeplaatensis , anterior hyaline section of genital shield reaching level of st2, anterior margin of epistome smooth, few teeth in transverse lines of deutosternum, second most basal transverse line toothless between lateral delimiting lines of deutosternum; P. subcorticalis , dorsal shield setae slightly shorter than in the new species here described, spermathecal duct about twice as long as diameter of coxal cavity IV, tubular and distally divided into two flattened branches; hypostome with a small membranous process near basal paraxial margin of corniculus.

Figures

FIGURES 23 – 31. Proctolaelaps gizaensis n. sp., holotype female: 23. Dorsum of idiosoma; 24. Tritosternum; 25. Venter of idiosoma; 26. Peritrematic and exopodal plates, variant forms; 27. Spermatheca; 28. Epistome; 29. Chelicera; 30. Hypostome; 31. Leg IV.