Anhemialges seicercus, Chang & Wang & Liu, 2018

Chang, Hui-Qun, Wang, Zi-Ying & Liu, Huai, 2018, Four new feather mite species of the genus Anhemialges Gaud, 1958 (Astigmata: Analgidae) from China, Zootaxa 4531 (2), pp. 251-265 : 260-263

Anhemialges seicercus sp. nov.

( Figs. 7 , 8 , 9F )

Type material. Holotype male [IOZ(E)225510], 9 male and 10 female paratypes ex Seicercus burkii ( Passeriformes : Phylloscopidae ), CHINA: Sichuan, 31°6'24.21'' N, 103°33'24.58'' E, 6 August 2014, coll. J.– T. Zhang.

Depositories. Holotype, and 1 female paratypes—IOZ, 9 male and 9 female paratypes—IESWU.

Description. MALE (Holotype, range of measurements for 9 paratypes in parentheses). Idiosoma 357 (345– 363) long and 155 (165–178) wide; length of hysterosoma 265 (259–265). Prodorsal shield: narrowly trapezoidal, 74 (75–77) long along the midline and 69 (69–71) wide; posterior margin concave, with pair of acute suprategumental extensions about 7 (6–7) in length, setae se separated by 58 (56–59). Scapular shields with angular suprategumental extensions in postero–mesal angle ( Fig. 7A ). Hysteronotal shield: anterior margin distinctly concave with acute anterior angles, length from anterior margin to level of lobar apices 235 (235–240), width at anterior margin 98 (98–111); lateral margins slightly concave, surface finely punctate without ornamentation. Posterior end of opisthosoma with medium sized opisthosomal lobes, length 35 (31–34), width at the level of setae f2 23 (20–22); anterior margin of terminal cleft slightly concaved with a distinct borders; interlobar membrane forms short extensions on lobar apices by rounded ends; interlobar membrane with triangular long incision, extended beyond midlength of terminal cleft ( Fig. 7A ), 42 (38–42) in length, 38 (33–44) in width. Supranal concavity large semiovate, with poorly distinct lateral borders. Macrosetae h3 simple, thin, without membranous enlargement in medial part ( Fig. 7A ). Setae d1, e1 shaped as microsetae, setae ps1 hair–like, slightly longer than the distance between them, setae d2 shorter than the distance between them. Setae e1 anterior to the level of e2. Distance between hysteronotal setae: c2:d2 67 (66–71), d2:e2 90 (87–89), e2:h2 62 (65–68), h2:h3 22 (21–23), ps1:h3 32 (27–30), ps2:ps2 73 (73–88), h2:h2 71 (72–78), h3:h3 61 (58–66), d1:d2 28 (28–33), e1:e2 9 (8–9).

Sternum about 2/3 of total length of epimerites I, extending to the level of setae 1a. Coxal fields II and III with triangular sclerotized areas in lateral parts, extending beyond level of coxal setae 1a and 4b respectively. Epimerites IVa shaped as a narrow strip with setae 4a on anterior ends. Genital arch height 13 (10–14), distance between tips 33 (34–36), aedeagus minute. Epiandrum thin bow–shaped, 9 (9–10) long, 37 (35–38) wide. The middle part of paragenital apodemes reduced, anterior and posterior parts present, flanking genital area from anterior margin of genital arch to midlevel of trochanter IV ( Fig. 7B ). Gastral shield split into two longitudinal parts ( Fig. 7B ), maxlength 60 (56–58), maxwidth 21 (21–25). Adanal shield split into two pieces, setae ps3 situated at the centre of them. Poorly sclerotized adanal apodemes with sparse adanal membrane along lateral margin stretching from adanal shield to the level of tibia–tarsus IV articulation. Anal suckers low cylindrical, 14 (12–14) in diameter. Cupules ih placed postero–lateral to adanal suckers, ih–ih 42 (42–49). Length of anal field from anterior margin of adanal shield to lobar apices 106 (105–106). Distance between ventral setae: 4b:4a 33 (30–35), 4b:g 38 (35–37), g:ps3 82 (80–84).

Legs: legs III longer and thinner than legs IV; tarsus III 70 (73–74) long, setae w and s of tarsus III shaped as thick spine, 27 (28–32) and 18 (19–22) in length respectively, longer seta w extending to midlength of corresponding seta s ( Fig. 9F ). Legs IV reaching by ambulacral discs only the level bases of setae f2; tarsus IV conical, slightly curved, with bidentate apex, 31 (31–34) in length.

FEMALE (range of measurements for 10 paratypes). Idiosoma 392–398 in length and 162–178 in width; length of hysterosoma from anterior margin of humeral shields to posterior end of opisthosoma 283–291. Prodorsal shield shaped as in male, length 88–96, width 83–86, acute suprategumental extension 5–6 long, setae se separated by 64–73. Scapular shields as in male. Setae e1 absent, setae d1 present as microsetae. Setae d2 thin, shorter than the distance between them ( Fig. 8A ). e2 short, do not extending beyond posterior margin of opisthosoma ( Fig. 8A ). Distance between dorsal setae: c2:d2 69–74, d2:e2 89–97, e2:h3 95–99, h2:h2 84–87, h3:h3 68–71. Epimerites I as in male but thicken more. Epigynum arched, 41–49 long, 19–22 wide, with setae 4b on tips. Tarsus III 53 –56 long, tarsus IV 59 –64 long, legs IV do not extend by ambulacral discs to the level of the posterior end of opisthosoma ( Fig. 8B ).

Etymology. The specific epithet is derived from the generic name of the host.

Differential diagnosis. The new species is closely related to A. bakeri Dabert et al., 2010 from Phylloscopus collybita ( Passeriformes : Phylloscopidae ) because the males of both species have macrosetae h3 setiform, without a flattened enlargement in the medial part, and having paired adanal shields and setae ps1 about 1.5 times longer than the distance between them.

The new species differs from A. bakeri by the following features: in males of the new species, each of the paragenital apodemes divide into two parts; setae w and s of tarsus III are shaped as thick spines; the adanal shields are separated from the gastral shields; and the incision in the interlobar membrane goes beyond the midlength of the terminal cleft. Males of A. bakeri do not have paragenital apodemes, setae w and s on tarsi III are hair–like, the adanal shields are fused anteriorly with the posterior margin of the corresponding part of the gastral shields, and the incision in the interlobar membrane is at about the midlength of the terminal cleft. Females of A. seicercus and A. bakeri differ in the length of the idiosoma and the existence of setae e1: A. seicercus is 392–398 long and lacking setae e1, A. bakeri is 485–496 long, and has minute setae e1.

Figures

FIGURE 7. Anhemialges seicercus sp. nov., male: A—dorsal view, B—ventral view.

FIGURE 8. Anhemialges seicercus sp. nov., female: A—dorsal view, B—ventral view.

FIGURE 9. Anhemialges lioparus sp. nov., male: A—leg I in dorsal view; B—leg II in dorsal view; C—leg III in dorsal view; D—leg IV in dorsal view; Anhemialges aegithalos sp. nov., male: E—leg III in dorsal view; Anhemialges seicercus sp. nov., male: F—leg III in dorsal view; Anhemialges zosterops sp. nov., male: G—leg III in dorsal view.