Podocinum pacificum Berlese

Santos, Jandir C., Martins, João P. I., Britto, Erika P. J. & De Moraes, Gilberto J., 2017, A new species of Podocinum (Acari: Podocinidae) from Brazil, and supplementary descriptions of three species of this genus, Zootaxa 4290 (3), pp. 444-458 : 448-450

Podocinum pacificum Berlese

Podocinum pacificum Berlese, 1895: 319 .

Podocinum pacificum .— Berlese, 1913b: 85; Evans & Hyatt, 1957: 923; Athias-Henriot, 1959: 28; De Leon, 1964: 43; Ishikawa, 1970: 113; Yan et al., 2012: 43 .

Specimens examined. One female collected by J.L.C. Mineiro on April 5, 1999 at Piracicaba, São Paulo State; three females collected by A.R. Oliveira on February 7, 2000 at Piracicaba, São Paulo State; one female collected by A.R. Oliveira on February 6, 2000 at São Pedro, São Paulo State. All specimens collected from litter.

Adult female: (five specimens measured)

Gnathosoma. Chelicera with antiaxial and dorsal lyrifissures as well as dorsal seta distinct ( Fig. 13 ); fixed digit 50 (49–52) long, with five teeth in addition to apical tooth and a minute setiform pilus dentilis; movable digit 51 (50–53) long, with two teeth in addition to apical tooth. Palp setae (trochanter to tibia): 2-5-6-13; all setae aciculate and smooth; apotele 3-tined ( Fig. 14 ). Anterior region of epistome with three distally divided extensions; lateral extensions with outer margin denticulate ( Fig. 15 ). Deutosternum with anteriormost transverse line smooth followed by six transverse lines of denticles about parallel to each other, each with 22–29 denticles; corniculus horn-shaped, about 26 (25–26) long and 13 (12–13) wide basally; seta h 2 slightly posteriad of h 3 ( Fig. 16 ). Measurements of setae: h 1 24 (23–25), h 2 5 (4–5), h 3 34 (34–35), pc 24 (23–25).

Dorsal idiosoma ( Fig. 17 ). Dorsal shield covered by small protuberances aligned to constitute a poligonal network ( Figs 17, 18 ), 436 (415–475) long and 323 (310–330) wide at widest level. Dorsal shield without lateral incisions. Podonotal region with 10 pairs of setae ( j 1 –j 3, j 5, j 6, z 5, s 2 –s 5), one pair of distinguishable lyrifissures and four pairs of distinguishable pores. Opisthonotal region with six pairs of setae ( J 3 –J5, Z 1, Z 3, Z 4), and two pairs of distinguishable pores. Setal lengths: j 1 12 (12–13), j 2 106 (105–108), j 3 20 (18–21), j 5 20 (18–21), j 6 26 (24–28), z 5 20 (18–21), s 2 19 (18–20), s 3 18 (18–19), s 4 18 (18–19), s 5 32 (30–34), J 3 72 (70–75), J 4 85 (80–90), J 5 102 (97–103), Z 1 42 (40–46), Z 3 150 (149–150), Z 4 165 (160–165). Setae ( j 2, j 6, J 1, J 3, J 5, z 6, Z 1, Z 3, Z 4) strongly serrated, most podonotal setae aciculate, except j2 and ( j 1, j 3, j 5, j 6, z 5, s 2, s 3, s 4) slightly serrated, j 6 and s 5, stout; opisthonotal seta stout ( Figs 17–19 ).

Ventral idiosoma ( Fig. 20 ). Base of tritosternum indistinguishable; laciniae 45 (45–46) long, separated for about 95% of their total length ( Fig. 21 ). Sternal shield 78 (75–80) long at mid-line and 112 (110–116) wide between setae st 1 and st 2, reticulate; posterior margin slightly concave; with three pairs of setae ( st 1– st 3); seta st 4 inserted on metasternal plate; lyrifissures ( iv 1– iv 5) absent. Genital shield smooth centraly and with scant lateral lines, posterior margin slightly convex, widened posteriorly; distance st 5- st 5 70 (69–70). Pore gv 2 on unsclerotised cuticle. Ventrianal shield subtriangular 133 (129–140) long at mid-line and 255 (249–260) wide at widest level; with four pairs of setae ( Jv 1, Jv 3, Jv 4 and Zv 2) in addition to circumanal setae; para-anal and post-anal setae similar in length, the former inserted slightly anteriad of level of posterior margin of anal opening. With a pair of opisthogastric setae on unsclerotised cuticle flanking ventrianal shield ( Jv 5). Exopodal plate fused with peritrematic plate next to coxa IV, entire, extending forward up to coxa II. Measurements of setae: st 1 24 (23–25), st 2 25 (24–25), st 3 24 (23–25), st 4 24 (22–25), st 5 25 (24–25); Jv 1 31 (30–32), Jv 3 31 (30–32), Jv 4 39 (35–41), Jv 5 26 (25–27), Zv 2 25 (25–26); para-anal 21 (20–21), post-anal 22 (20–23). All setae aciculate and smooth.

Peritreme and peritrematic plate ( Figs 17, 20 ). Peritreme extending forward beyond level of j 1, fused with peritreme of opposite side. Peritrematic plate fused with dorsal shield anteriad of s 2, extending posteriorly behind coxa IV; with a distinguishable pore next to coxa II; section posteriad of stigma with a pore and no distinct lyrifissures.

Spermathecal apparatus. Most similar to phytoseiid type; calyx and vesicle apparently constituting an elongate sac; major and minor duct distinct ( Fig. 22 ).

Legs. Median section of pulvilli of legs II–IV rounded; paradactyli of these legs elongate and acuminate ( Fig. 23 ). Lengths: I: 1227 (1200–1270); II: 658 (655–660); III: 597 (575–600); IV: 735 (725–750). Chaetotaxy/setation – coxae: I: 0, 0/1, 0/1, 0; II: 0, 0/1, 0/1, 0; III: 0, 0/1, 0/1, 0; IV: 0, 0/1, 0/0, 0; trochanters: I: 1, 0/1, 1/2, 1; II: 1, 0/1, 0/2, 1; III: 1, 1/2, 0/1, 0; IV: 1, 1/2, 0/1, 0; femora: I: 2, 1/1, 3/2, 2; II: 2, 2/2, 2/1, 1; III: 1, 2/1, 1/0, 1; IV: 1, 2/1, 1/ 0, 1; genua: I: 2, 1/0, 3/2, 2; II: 1, 2/1, 2/0, 1; III: 1, 2/1, 2/0, 1; IV: 1, 2/0, 2/1, 0; tibiae: I: 2, 1/0, 3/2, 1; II: 1, 1/1, 2/ 1, 1; III: 1, 1/1, 2/1, 1; IV: 1, 1/1, 2/1, 0; tarsi: I: not counted, II: 18 setae, III: 18, IV: 17. No leg macrosetae.

Adult male. Unknown.

Figures

FIGURES 13 – 23. Podocinum pacificum Berlese. Female. 13. Antiaxial view of chelicera; 14. Apotele; 15. Epistome; 16. Hypostome; 17. Dorsal view of idiosoma; 18. Ornamentation of dorsal shield; 19. Seta J 3; 20. Ventral view of idiosoma; 21. Tritosternum; 22. Spermathecal apparatus; 23. Pretarsus of leg II. Lyrifissures and pores enlarged for improved visibility.