Scolotydaeus tauricus ( Kuznetsov, 1973 ) Khaustov, 2017

Khaustov, Alexander A., 2017, Review of the Paratydeidae (Acari: Prostigmata), with description of three new species, Zootaxa 4303 (2), pp. 151-212 : 157-159

Scolotydaeus tauricus ( Kuznetsov, 1973) comb. nov.

( Figs. 5–8 )

Walytydeus tauricus Kuznetsov, 1973 , p. 12, fig. 1.

Description. The slide of the female holotype is broken and this description is based on three male paratypes.

MALE (paratype, Figs. 5–8 ). Length of idiosoma 406–445, width 140–155. Gnathosoma ( Fig. 6 A, B). Palptarsus with two eupathidia (ul’ not eupathidion-like). Subcapitular setae n distinctly longer than subequal m and or 1-2. Idiosomal dorsum ( Fig. 5 A). Two pairs of eyes present; posterior eye distinctly smaller than anterior, difficult to discern. Hysterosoma with transverse furrows between setal rows d-e and h-ps, respectively. Dorsal idiosomal setae c 1, d, e, f 1, h 1, ps 1, ad 1 blunt-ended and weakly barbed; other dorsal setae pointed; f 2 and h 2 barbed in basal part. Cupules im situated anterolaterally to setae e, cupules ip situated laterally to setae f 1 and anteromedially to setae f 2. Idiosomal venter ( Fig. 5 B). Setae 3 c, ps 2 and ad 2 blunt-ended, weakly barbed; other ventral setae pointed. Genital area with six pairs of simple aggenital setae and 9–11 pairs of genital setae ( Fig. 6 C); genital setae g 1- g 7 branched, other genital setae simple. Third pair of genital acetabulae smaller than first and second pairs. Cupules ia situated anterolaterally to setae 3 a near lateral margin of the body; cupules ih situated laterally to setae ag 6. Genital opening with 10 pairs of eugenital setae ( Fig. 6 D); setae eu 5 bifurcate, distinctly thicker and longer than other eugenital setae. Lengths of idiosomal setae: ve 11–15, sci 39–41, sce 23–26, c 1 14, c 2 58–59, d 13–14, e 13, f 1 16, f 2 41–42, h 1 22–23, h 2 43–46, ps 1 20–22, ps 2 21–22, ps 3 36–38, ad 1 18–19, ad 2 17–22, ad 3 20–21, 1 a 36– 39, 1 b 17–18, 1 c 12, 1 d 12–15, 2 a 23–24, 2 b 28–29, 2 c 10–11, 3 a 20–21, 3 b 32–39, 3 c 14–15, 4 a 20–22, 4 b 11–13, ag 1 12, ag 2 11, ag 3-6 16, g 1-7 7–8, g 8-10 14–15. Legs ( Figs. 7 , 8 ). Lengths of legs: leg I 140–150, leg II 94 –100, leg III 100–110, leg IV 115–125. Leg I ( Fig. 7 A) Leg setation: Tr 0, Fe 3/5 (d, l’, l”, v’, v”, d 1, l’ 1, bv”), Ge 7(1) (d, l’, l”, v’, v”, l’ 1, l” 1, σ), Ti 8(1) (d, l’ξ, l”, v’, v”, k, l’ 1, l” 1, φ), Ta 14(2) (p’ξ, p”ξ, tc’ξ, tc”ξ, ft’ξ, ft”ξ, a’, a”, u’, u”, s, pl”, pv’, pv”, ω 1, ω 2). Seta d of tibia simple. Leg II ( Fig. 7 B). Leg setation: Tr 1 (v’), Fe 3 (d, l’, bv”), Ge 3(1) (d, l’, l”, σ), Ti 4(1) (d, l’, v’, v”, φ), Ta 7(1) (p’ξ, p”, tc ’, tc”, u’, u”, ε, ω). Setae (u) distinctly bifurcate; p” with one long barb; tc” blunt-ended. Empodium very long, about as long as tarsal claws. Leg III ( Fig. 8 A) Leg setation: Tr 1 (v’), Fe 3 (d, v’, ev’), Ge 1 (l’), Ti 3(1) (d, v’, v”, φ), Ta 4 (tc ’, tc”, u’, u”). Claws and empodium of same shape as on tarsus II. Seta (u) distinctly bifurcate; proral setae absent. Setae (tc) blunt-ended. Leg IV ( Fig. 8 B). Leg setation: Tr 0, Fe 1/2 (d, v’, ev’), Ge 2 (d, v’), Ti 3 (d, v’, v”), Ta 5 (p’, p”, tc, u’, u”). Setae (u) distinctly bifurcate; setae (p) with one distinct barb each; seta tc blunt-ended.

LARVA, PROTONYMPH, DEUTONYMPH and TRITONYMPH unknown.

Material examined. Three male paratypes, RUSSIA, Crimea , Yalta, Nikita Botanical Gardens, litter under Arbutus unedo L., 10 April 1971, coll. N.N. Kuznetsov.

Remarks. The original description of Walytydeus tauricus lacked illustrations of males, only including measurements of its body ( Kuznetsov 1973).

According to the key to genera of Paratydeidae provided by Kuznetsov (1973), the genus Walytydeus Kuznetsov, 1973 differs from closely related genera only by the subdivision of the hysterosoma into four parts. Khanjani et al. (2014a) revealed variability of hysterosomal subdivisions even at the species-level. Thus, the number of hysterosomal subdivisions could not be used as criterion for separation of genera of Paratydeidae . Based on the presence of eyes, erect solenidia on legs and palptarsus, and bifurcate setae (u) on tarsi II–IV, I consider W. tauricus as a member of the genus Scolotydaeus and the genus Walytydeus as junior synonym of Scolotydaeus .

Figures

FIGURE 5. Scolotydaeus tauricus (Kuznetsov, 1973) comb. nov., male: A—body in dorsal view, B—body in ventral view.

FIGURE 6. Scolotydaeus tauricus (Kuznetsov, 1973) comb. nov., male: A—gnathosoma in dorsal view, B—subcapitulum, C—genital area, D—eugenital setae.

FIGURE 7. Scolotydaeus tauricus (Kuznetsov, 1973) comb. nov., male: A—leg I in dorsal view, B—leg II in dorsal view.

FIGURE 8. Scolotydaeus tauricus (Kuznetsov, 1973) comb. nov., male: A—leg III in dorsal view, – B—leg IV in dorsal view.