Cosmolaelaps egyptiacus, Nasr & Momen, 2016

Nasr, A. K. & Momen, F. M., 2016, A new species of the genus Cosmolaelaps Berlese (Acari: Laelapidae) from Egypt, Acarologia 56 (2), pp. 257-264 : 258-263

Cosmolaelaps egyptiacus n. sp. (Figs:1-3)

Diagnosis — dorsal shield oval, covering totally idiosoma, with 39 pairs of setae, and 3 unpaired setae between J series; setae z1 short and simple, j1 stout and smooth, Z5 barbed. Epistome triangular, reticulated (raising striation) with half anterior margin denticulated, posteriorly.

Internal malae coarsely fringed, with two pairs of lobes, inner one narrow, tapered, hairy in the outer side, and outer lobes coarsely fringed (with 7-9 arms). Metasternal shields present with st4 and lyriffsures (iv3). Epyginal shield flask-shaped, ornamented with large cells in the central part, bordered by two lines forming an inverted v-shaped and with lateral margin expanded to midline of coxa IV. Fixed digit of chelicerae with five teeth.

Description: Female, light brown in color when alive.

Dorsal idiosoma ( Fig. 1a ) — Dorsal shield 371 – 395 long and 282 – 292 wide, oval shaped, weakly reticulated with scale-like pattern in opisthonotal region and few polygonal and semi-circular pattern reticulation on anterior shield; bearing 39 pairs of scimitar-like setae, except for Z5 barbed at 3/4 length, seta j1stout and smooth and seta z1 short and simple; 22 pairs (j1-j6, z1-z6, s1-s6 and r2- r5, r6 located latero-ventrally) on podonotal area, and 17 pairs (J1-J5, Z1-Z5, Zx2, Zx3, and S1-S5) on opisthonotal area, opisthonotal region bearing three additionally unpaired posterior-median setae (Jx2- Jx4);eighteen pairs of pore-like structures. Lengths of dorsal setae are shown in Table 1.

Gnathosoma ( Fig. 1b, c ) — Hypostome bearing four pairs of simple setae ( Fig. 1c ). Epistome ( Fig.1b ) triangular, reticulated raising striation, denticulated posterior half. Hypostomal groove with six transverse rows of denticles, each having 12 – 18 small teeth and smooth anterior and posterior lines. Corniculi 11 – 15 long, robust and hornlike, reaching the mid-level of palp femur. Internal malae complex-fringed, with two separated pairs of lobes, inner one, narrow, tapered, with fine hairs on outer-side, while outer lobes coarsely fringed with 7 – 9 arms. Labrum elongated, subtriangular, with pilose surfaces and extending to middle level of palp-genu. Chelicera ( Fig.1d ) - Fixed digit of chelicera with five teeth and terminal hook, a pilus dentilis short and setiform, movable digit 18 – 22 long, bidentated, plus terminal hook; arthrodial corona fringe-like.

Palp chaetotaxy ( Fig. 1e ) — trochanter (2)- femur (5)- genu (6)- tibia (14)-tarsus (15); tarsal claw 2- tined ( Fig. 1f ), all setae smooth, simple except setae al1 stout, and al2 on genua and al, ad on femur, thick and spine-like.

Ventral idiosoma ( Fig. 2 ) — Tritosternal basis 18 long, with two free pilose laciniae 45 long; presternal region weakly sclerotized (undefined plates) with some weak transverse lines. Sternal shield narrow between coxae II, widest between coxae II and III (118 – 127), undefined and finely reticulated anteriorly, concaved and smooth posteriorly, bearing three pairs of simple setae (st1 =36, st2 = 29, st3 =33; distances between st1-st1=54, st2-st2= 63, st3-st3= 95), and two pairs of lyrifissures (1st pair oriented transversely, 2nd oriented obliquely). Endopodal plates II-III completely fused to ster-

(postanal s.)

nal shield, while endopodal III–IV elongate, narrow and curved; metasterrnal plates, subtriangular and bearing metasternal (st4) and metasternal lyrifissures (iv3) ( Fig.2a ). Epyginal shield 173 – 195 long and 122 – 131 wide, ornamented with large cells in the central part, bordered by two lines forming an inverted v-shaped, bearing a pair of simple setae (st5); lateral margin of epyginal shield extended to middle line of coxa IV, epyginal shield separated from anal shield by a distance of 13-17. Genital lyrifissures (iv5) located on integument lateral to shield, posteriolaterad of st5; a pair of rodshaped platelets present next to edges of epyginal shield; exopodal platelets represented by two triangular exopodal platelets between coxa II–III and III–IV, connected by an interrupted stripe, and an arched platelet partially surrounding external and posterior of coxa IV. All lengths of ventral setae are shown in Table 1.

Opisthogastric integument — with five pairs of pores-like structures and 12 pairs of simple setae which are: UR1-UR3, Zv1-Zv4 and Jv1-Jv5, each arising on small sclerotized platelet, anal shield, subtriangular, 64 – 75 long and 52 – 65 wide, with a pair of lateral pore-like (gv3); cribrum well developed, extending to anterior level of post anal seta.

Metapodal plates (12 – 15) oblong, oriented parallel with genital shield, with two pairs of spotted platelets behind coxa IV.

Peritreme — peritremal shield fused to dorsal shield near z1, with two pairs of pores behind stigmata; peritreme, extending between s1 and z1.

Spermatheca (Fig: 2b) — Insemination duct, long, opening between coxa III-IV, sacculus irregular, with long, curved and tapering extension; each duct entering in sclerotized tube (atrium) and having one minor duct.

Legs (Fig. 3) — Tarsi I-IV with two tiny claws and a round membranous pulvillus. Leg lengths: I (352 – 375), II (276 – 296), III (238 – 252), IV (325 – 333), legs finely reticulated. Legs chaetotaxy as follows:

Leg I: coxa (0-0/1-0/1-0) setae simple, trochanter (1-0/1-1/2-1) av thick and spine-like, femur (2-3/1- 2/3-2)ad1 stout, ad3 thick-spiny, pd1 and pd2 thin and short, all ventral setae thick and long, genu (2- 3/2-3/1-2) pl1 stout and thick-spiny, tibia (2-3/2- 3/1-2), pl1 stout and thick-spiny.

Leg II: coxa (0-0/1-0/1-0), trochanter (1-0/2-0/1-1) al thicker-spiny, femur (2-3/1-2/2-1),al2, ad2 thin and short, ad1 and pdl, pl and pd2 stout-spiny, genu (2-3/1-2/1-2) all setae thick-spiny with ad2 and pv slightly longer, tibia (2-2/1-2/1-2), pv thick.

Leg III: coxa (0-0/1-0/1-0), trochanter (1-0/1-0/2-1), femur (1-2/1-1/0-1) ad1 stout, al longer, av thin and short,genu (2-2/1-2/1-1) pd2 shorter and thinner, remain setae thicker and spiny, tibia (2-1/1-2/1-1).

Leg IV: coxa (0-0/1-0/0-0), trochanter (2-1/1-0/1- 1)av stout and thicker, femur (1- 2/1- 1/0-1) ad1 stout and thicker, pl thin and short, genu (2-2/1- 3/0-1) all setae thick-spiny, av and al1 longer, tibia (2-1/1-3/1-2), all setae thick-spiny.

Tarsi I-IV with 18 setae (3-3/2-3/2-3 +mv +md), all setae thick, spine-like and nearly uniform in shape except setae of tarsus IV slightly longer.

Figures

FIGURE 1: Dorsal shield of Cosmolaeaps aegyptiacus n. sp.: A – dorsal idiosoma, B – epistome, C – hypostome, D – chelicerae, E – palp, F – tined claw.

FIGURE 2: Ventral shield of Cosmolaeaps aegyptiacus n. sp.: A – ventrum, B – spermatheca.