Cosmolaelaps dorfakiensis, Ramroodi, Sara, Hajizadeh, Jalil & Joharchi, Omid, 2014

Ramroodi, Sara, Hajizadeh, Jalil & Joharchi, Omid, 2014, Two new species of Cosmolaelaps Berlese (Acari: Laelapidae) from Iran, Zootaxa 3847 (4), pp. 533-544 : 534-535

Cosmolaelaps dorfakiensis sp. nov.

Figures 1–12

Specimens examined: Holotype, female, Iran, Guilan Province, Astara Town, Khotbesara Village, 38° 25′ N, 48° 52′ E, 10 August 2012, S. Ramroodi coll., in soil and leaf litter. Paratypes; two females, same data as holotype (deposited in UGMC); three females, Guilan Province, Rasht Town, 37°16′N, 49°34′E, 15 July 2012, S. Ramroodi coll., in soil under conifers (one deposited in ANIC and two in UGMC) and seven females, Guilan Province, Amlash Twon, 37°05′N, 50°11′E, 18 May 2013, S. Ramroodi coll., in soil under poplar (one deposited in JAZM and six in UGMC).

Description. Female. Dark brown in colour.

Dorsal idiosoma. Length 700 (640–740) ( Fig. 1 ). Dorsal shield length 680 (600–700), width at level of r3 360 (340–380), well sclerotised, with distinct reticulate ornamentation over whole surface, not covering entire idiosoma, with 39 pairs setae, 22 pairs on podonotal region (j1–6) [j1 38 (36–40), j2 = j3 37 (35–39), j6 29 (27–32)]; (z1–6) [z1 16 (18–24), z2 37 (35–38), z6 29 (27–32)]; (s1–6) [s1 = s3 = s4 38 (36–40), s5 = s6 32 (29–33)]; (r2–5) [r2 38 (36–40), r3 39 (37–40)] and 17 pairs on opisthonotal region (J1–5) [J1 = J3 = J5 30 (28–34), J2 29 (27–32), J4 32 (29–33)]; (Z1–5) [Z5 37 (34–40)]; (S1–5) [S1 37 (34–40)], including two pairs of Zx. Setae z1, s1, J3, Zx1, Zx2, Z3 pointed and needle-like, the others are spatulate ( Figs 1, 2 ). Dorsal shield with ten pairs and six pairs of distinguishable lyrifissures and pores respectively. Soft cuticle surrounding dorsal shield with ten pairs of setae (r6, R1–7 and UR5–6) [r6 30 (28–34), R1 32 (29–35)], r6, R1–5 pointed and needle-like, R6–7, UR5–6 spatulate.

Ventral idiosoma ( Figs 3, 4 ). Tritosternum with columnar base 43 (40–45) long and 16 (14–18) wide, with paired pilose laciniae fused basally, length 100 (90–110) ( Fig. 4 ). Presternal area with a pair of distinct platelets, weakly sclerotised, with transverse lines. Sternal shield reticulate, length 190 (180–200), widest between coxae II and III, 190 (180–200) wide at level of st2 115 (100–125), with slightly concave posterior margin, extends distally to post of coxae III, with three pairs of simple sternal setae [st1 43 (40–45); st2 42 (40–45); st3 39 (35–40)] and two pairs of lyrifissures (iv1, iv2). One pair of simple metasternal setae st4 39 (35–40) located on unsclerotised cuticle, posterolaterad of iv3, also on cuticle. Genital shield flask-shaped, reticulate, length 190 (180–200), width at the widest point 85 (80–90), with one pair of genital setae st5 40 (36–42). Genital lyrifissures (iv5) located on soft skin lateral to shield, posterolateral of st5. A pair of rod-shaped platelets present next to edges of genital shield. Genital shield widely separated from anal shield, distance between genital shield and anal shield 85 (70–90). Endopodal platelets II/III fused to sternal shield, endopodal platelets III/IV elongate, narrow and curved. Exopodal platelets represented by two triangular platelets between coxa II/III and III/IV, and an arched platelet partially surrounding external and posterior of coxa IV. Anal shield trapezoidal, length 96 (80–105), width at the widest point 75 (60–80), its anterior half with lineate ornamentation, with a pair of circular lateral gland pores, para-anal setae 35 (30–37) subequal in length to unpaired post-anal seta 36 (30–38), cribrum well developed, extending to anterior level of post-anal seta and laterally near to lateral gland pores. Peritremes long, extending to the level of setae j2, peritrematal shield fused to dorsal shield at anterior level of coxa II, with a lyrifissure at posterior level of coxa II and a pore at anterior level of coxa III. Post-stigmatal section of shield conspicuous, with a pair of lyrifissures and a pore behind each stigma. Opisthogastric skin with three pairs of elongate metapodal plates; eight pairs of opisthogastric setae (Jv1–Jv4, Zv1–Zv 4) [Jv1 = Jv2 40 (36–42), Jv3 = Jv4 35 (30–37); Zv1 = Zv2 = Zv3 39 (35–40), Zv4 35 (30–37)]; Zv2–4, Jv3–4 spatulate and others needle-like; and two pairs of pores, gv2 distinct ( Fig. 3 ).

Gnathosoma. Hypostome with three pairs of hypostomal setae [h1 53 (50–55), h2 34 (30–35), h3 58 (50–60)] and palpcoxal setae 37 (35–40). Deutosternal groove with a smooth, transverse line followed by six transverse lines of 15–25 denticles each of similar sizes, first row of denticles curved. Corniculi horn-like and reaching mid-level of palp femur ( Fig. 5 ). Internal malae with two pairs of lobes: inner lobes smooth, pointed, and separated; outer lobes, curved, with internal surface and lateral coarsely fimbriate; labrum with pilose surface. Palp 200 (210–230) long, palp chaetotaxy 2-5-6-14 -15, setae uniform in shape except al1 on palp genu apically spatulate ( Fig. 6 ), apotele two-tined ( Fig. 6 ). Anterior edge of epistome arch-shape, irregularly denticulate ( Fig. 7 ). Fixed digit of chelicera 93 (90-95), longer than movable digit, with 12 teeth of varying size, with terminal hook and a setaceous pilus dentilis; movable digit 85 (80–87) with two teeth; arthrodial process a coronet-like fringe; dorsal seta stout and tapering distally; dorsal and antiaxial lyrifissures distinguishable ( Fig. 8 ).

Legs ( Figs 9–12 ). All legs with a pair of claws and a rounded membranous pulvillus, lengths excluding pretarsus: I 650 (590–670), II 535 (490–560), III 490 (450–510), IV 680 (620–710). Chaetotaxy: I: coxa 0 0/1 0/1 0, trochanter 1 0/1 1/2 1 [al spatulate; av, pd and pl short and spine-like ( Fig. 9 )], femur 2 3/1 2/3 2 [ad1-3, av, pv2 short and spine-like ( Fig. 9 )], genu 2 3/2 3/1 2, tibia 2 3/2 3/1 2; II: coxa 0 0/1 0/1 0, trochanter 1 0/1 1/1 1, femur 2 3/1 2/2 1 [ad1, pd1-2, pv1 and pl spatulate; av stout and ridged ( Fig. 10 )], genu 2 3/1 2/1 2 [pd1-2, pv and pl1 spatulate; av spine-like ( Fig. 10 )], tibia 2 2/1 2/1 2 [av and pv thick and spine-like ( Fig. 10 )]; III: coxa 0 0/1 0/ 1 0, trochanter 1 1/1 0/1 1 [ad spatulate ( Fig. 11 )], femur 1 2/1 1/0 1 [ad1 spatulate; av and pd slightly thick and spinelike; pl shortest ( Fig. 11 )], genu 2 2/1 2/1 1 [ad1-2 and pd1 spatulate; av, pv, pd2, pl spine-like ( Fig. 11 )], tibia 2 1/ 1 2/1 1 [ad and pd1 spatulate; av, pv, pl thick and spine-like ( Fig. 11 )]; IV: coxa 0 0/1 0/0 0, trochanter 2 1/1 0/1 0 [ad thick and spine-like ( Fig. 12 )], femur 1 2/1 1/0 1 [ad1 longer and spatulate; ad2 spatulate; av and pd slightly thick and spine-like; pl shortest ( Fig. 12 )], genu 2 2/1 3/0 1 [al2, ad1-2, pd1-3 spatulate; av thick and spine-like ( Fig. 12 )], tibia 2 1/1 3/1 2 [al2, ad, pd1-3 spatulate; al1, pl1, av and pv long, thick and spine-like; pl2 shortest ( Fig. 12 )]. Tarsi I–IV with 18 setae 3 3/2 3/2 3 + mv, md; on tarsus II pl2, pv1-2, av1-2 slightly thick and spine-like ( Fig. 10 ); tarsus III ad3 spatulate, ad2, pd2, av1-2, pv1-2 slightly thick and spine-like ( Fig. 11 ); tarsus IV ad3 and pd3 spatulate, al3, pl3 long, thick and spine-like, av1-2, al2, ad2, pv1-2, pl2, pd2 long and spine-like ( Fig. 12 ). All setae simple unless otherwise noted.

Insemination structures: Not seen, apparently unsclerotised.

Male. Unknown.

Etymology. The name of this species refers to the Dorfak, one of the most famous mountains in Guilan Province of Iran.

Notes. Cosmolaelaps dorfakiensis is distinctive in the shape of dorsal shield setae. Most dorsal setae are spatulate and some are needle-like, and without unpaired Jx setae. Leg II is thick and bears a stout and ridged seta av on the femur; with stout and elongate spine-like setae on tibia IV and tarsus IV. Among the species of genus Cosmolaelaps in which the opisthonotal region of dorsal shield lacks unpaired setae, Cosmolaelaps anserinus ( Karg, 1981) may be similar to Cosmolaelaps dorfakiensis , but can be distinguished as follows. In Cosmolaelaps dorfakiensis , all dorsal shield setae are spatulate except z1, J3 and two pairs Zx setae are needle-like; the dorsal setae are shorer [j1 38 (36–40), Z5 37 (34–40)]; the opisthogastric area of the dorsal shield has ten pairs of setae; presternal shield is poorly sclerotised; the posterior margin of the sternal shield is concave; st1 nearly equal to st2- 3 [st1 43 (40–45); st2 42 (40–45); st3 39 (35–40)]; epistome arch-shape with irregularly denticulate anterior margin; fixed digit of chelicera with 12 teeth of varying size, with terminal hook. In Cosmolaelaps anserinus , all dorsal shield setae are spatulate (shaped like the beak of a goose) except z2 and s2 needle-like and s1 absent; the dorsal setae are longer, some of them reach to the base of next seta (j1 57, Z5 60); the opisthogastric area of the dorsal shield has four pairs of setae; presternal shield sclerotised; sternal shield with straight posterior margin; st1 longer than st2-3 (st1 55, st2 40, st3 35); epistome irregularly denticulate with longer lateral prongs; fixed digit of chelicera with 10–14 teeth of varying size; spatulate setae only on the femur and genu II and IV (based on Karg, 1981).

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 8. Cosmolaelaps dorfakiensis sp. nov., female. 1. Dorsal idiosoma; 2. Dorsal seta enlarged (not to scale); 3. Ventral idiosoma; 4. Tritosternum; 5. Ventral gnathosoma; 6. Palp & Apotel; 7. Epistome; 8. Chelicera.

FIGURES 9 – 12. Cosmolaelaps dorfakiensis sp. nov., female. 9. Leg I; 10. Leg II; 11. Leg III; 12. Leg IV.