Syringophilopsis sturnellus, Skoracki, Maciej, Hendricks, Sarah A. & Spicer, Greg S., 2011

Skoracki, Maciej, Hendricks, Sarah A. & Spicer, Greg S., 2011, Systematics of the genus Syringophilopsis Kethley, 1970 (Acari: Prostigmata: Syringophilidae) with description of three new species from North American passerines, Zootaxa 2793, pp. 1-22 : 13-16

Syringophilopsis sturnellus sp. nov.

( Figs. 25–36 )

Description. FEMALE ( Figs 25, 26 and 29–32 ). Total body length of holotype 1205 (1135–1220 in 2 paratypes). Gnathosoma . Infracapitulum sparsely punctate. Hypostomal apex with 2 pairs of short and sharp-ended protuberances ( Fig. 29 ). Each longitudinal branch of peritremes with 15–16 chambers, each transverse branch with 3–4 chambers ( Fig. 30 ). Length of stylophore and movable cheliceral digit 285 (285–290) and 200 (195–200), respectively. Idiosoma . Propodonotal shield densely punctate on whole surface, slightly sculptured at lateral bands. Length ratio of setae vi: ve: si 1:1.5:2.2. Setae se situated slightly anterior to level of setae c1, setae si situated distinctly anterior to level of setae c2. Two hysteronotal shields present. Pygidial shield well sclerotized and densely punctate on whole surface ( Fig. 31 ). All terminal setae (f1, f2, h1 and h2) whip-like, longer than 400. All aggenital setae ag1–3 whip-like, longer than 300. Genital setae g1 and g2 long, subequal to aggenital setae. Pseudanal setae ps1 and ps2 subequal in length. Coxal fields I–IV densely punctate. Setae 3c 1.4 times longer than 3b. Cuticular striations as in Figs. 25 and 26 . Legs. Fan-like setae p’ and p” of legs III and IV with 14 tines ( Fig. 32 ). Setae tc’III–IV and tc”III–IV subequal in length. Apodemes I fused to anterior part of apodemes II. Lengths of setae: vi 210 (210–245), ve 305 (305–335), si 470 (395), se 480 (445), c1 475 (425–480), c2 450, d1 415 (440), d2 485 (450–465), e (440), f1 475 (410), h1 (440–510), h2 530 (425), ps1 130 (100–125), ps2 135 (100), g1 (315–420), g2 325 (360), ag1 315 (310–350), ag3 (415), sc3 130 (85–125), sc4 (85–105), tc’III–IV (85–100), tc”III–IV (95–100), 3b 165 (150–170), 3c 230 (215–250).

MALE ( Figs. 27, 28 and 33–36 ). Total body length 805 in 1 paratype. Gnathosoma . Infracapitulum apunctate. Hypostomal apex smooth ( Fig. 33 ). Each transverse branch of peritremes with 5 chambers, each longitudinal branch with 14 chambers ( Fig. 34 ). Length of stylophore and movable cheliceral digit 230 and 200, respectively. Idiosoma . Propodonotal shield apunctate and slightly sculptured at lateral bands. Setae vi, ve and si subequal in length. Setae se and c1 situated at same transverse level, setae si situated distinctly anterior to level of setae c2. Hysteronotal shield fused to pygidial shield. Setae d2, d1 and e subequal in length. Setae h three times longer than f. Aggenital setae ag1 and ag2 subequal in length. Genital setae g1 2–3 times longer than g2 ( Fig. 36 ). Pseudanal setae ps1 and ps2 subequal in length. Setae 3c 1.7 times longer than 3b. Cuticular striations as in Fig. 27 . Legs. Fanlike setae p’ and p” of legs III and IV with 14 tines ( Fig. 35 ). Setae tc’III–IV and tc”III–IV subequal in length. Apodemes I fused to apodemes II in middle part of apodemes II. Lengths of setae: vi 85, ve 80, si 85, se 275, c1 300, d1 50, d2 50, e 50, f 50, h 145, ag1 170, ag2 170, ag3 <130, sc4 85, tc’III–IV and tc” III–IV 70, 3b 95, 3c 165.

Type material. Female holotype, 3 female, 1 male, and 2 nymph paratypes from quill of the Western Meadowlark, Sturnella neglecta Audubon (Icteridae) ; United States, Arizona, Mohave Co., 25 October 2006, coll. G. Spicer (GSS#1814).

Type deposition. All material is deposited in the MNHW except 2 female and 1 male paratypes in the AMU (AMU–SYR. 305).

Etymology. The species name refers to the generic name of the host.

Differential diagnosis. Syringophilopsis sturnellus sp. nov. is morphologically similar to S. icteri Bochkov & Galloway, 2001 described ex Icterus galbula (Linnaeus) (Icteridae) from Canada ( Bochkov & Galloway 2001). In females of both species, the total body length is more than 1000, the hysteronotal shields around the bases of setae d1 are present, all terminal setae are long and subequal in length, and leg setae tc’III–IV and tc”III–IV are subequal in length. The new species differs from S. icteri by the following characters: in females of S. sturnellus sp. nov., the hypostomal apex is ornamented by two pairs of protuberances, the propodonotal shield is densely punctate on the whole surface ( Fig. 25 ), setae si are situated anterior to the level of setae c2, the pygidial shield is large, tapering on the anterior margin and densely punctate on the whole surface ( Fig. 31 ), lengths of the genital setae are longer than 300, and the pseudanal setae are longer than 90. In females of S. icteri , the hypostomal apex is ornamented by three pairs of protuberances, the propodonotal shield is sparsely punctate at the lateral margins ( Fig. 37 ), setae si and c2 are situated at the same transverse level, the pygidial shield is small, flat on the anterior margin and sparsely punctate ( Fig. 38 ), lengths of the genital setae are shorter than 200, and the pseudanal setae are shorter than 50.

Figures

FIGURES 25, 26. Syringophilopsis sturnellus sp. nov. Female. 25. Dorsal view. 26. Ventral view.

FIGURES 27, 28. Syringophilopsis sturnellus sp. nov. Male. 27. Dorsal view. 28. Ventral view of gnathosoma and propodosoma.

FIGURES 29 – 38. Syringophilopsis sturnellus sp. nov. (Figs 29 – 36). Female. 29. Hypostomal apex. 30. Longitudinal branch of peritreme. 31. Pygidial shield. 32. Fan-like seta p’ of leg III. Male. 33. Hypostomal apex. 34. Peritreme. 35. Fan-like seta p’ of leg III. 36. Genito-anal region. Syringophilopsis icteri Bochkov & Galloway, 2001 (Figs. 37, 38). Female. 37. Propodonotal shield. 38. Pygidial shield. Scale bars: 29, 30, 32 – 35 = 20 µm; 31, 36 – 38 = 50 µm.