Atelophyllodes menurae, Mironov, Sergey V. & Proctor, Heather C., 2009

Mironov, Sergey V. & Proctor, Heather C., 2009, Atelophyllodes gen. n., a new feather mite genus of the family Proctophyllodidae (Astigmata: Analgoidea) from lyrebirds (Passeriformes: Menuridae), Zootaxa 2326, pp. 51-61 : 53-57

Atelophyllodes menurae sp. n.

( Figs 1–3 , 6 A–E)

Type material. Male holotype, 1 male and 2 female paratypes from Menura novaehollandiae Latham, 1802 , ( TMAG accession number B4171) Australia, Tasmania, Florentine Valley, 42° 49' 34"S 146° 21' 22"E, 21 November 1984; collector A. Truchanas; 2 male paratypes from same host species ( TMAG accession number B3668), Australia, Tasmania, Maydena, 42° 45' 22"S 146° 37' 26"E, 6 July 1963, collector unknown. Holotype, 1 female and 2 male paratypes—TMAG; 1 male and 1 female paratype—ZISP.

Male (holotype, range of measurements for 3 paratypes in parentheses). Idiosoma, length x width, 370 (345–355) x 180 (170–190), length of hysterosoma 230 (210–225). Prodorsal shield: lateral margins without incisions, antero–lateral extensions short and acute, posterior margin straight or slightly concave, length of shield 113 (110–115), width at posterior margin 105 (102–110), surface uniformly punctate ( Fig. 1 A). Scapular setae se separated by 62 (60–65). Scapular shields wide, with narrow suprategumental band along inner margin. Setae c1 on soft tegument near anterior margin of hysteronotal shield. Setae c2 situated on soft tegument, near anterior margin of humeral shields. Subhumeral setae c3 lanceolate 24 (20–24) x 5.5 (5–5.5). Hysteronotal shield: greatest length 228 (214–225), width at anterior margin 104 (100–106), anterior margin straight, surface uniformly punctate. Distance between prodorsal and hysteronotal shields along midline 22 (18–25). Opisthosomal lobes wider than long, posterior margin with 3 bidentate extensions bearing bases of setae h2, h3, f2. Terminal cleft angle shaped, wide, with rounded anterior end, 29 (24–30) in length. Supranal concavity semi–ovate, open posteriorly. Setae f2 lanceolate, 15 (13–15) x 4 (3.5–4), situated posterior to level of ps2. Setae h1 approximately at level of anterior end of terminal cleft. Setae ps1 lanceolate, 12 (11–12) x 3 (2.5–3), situated on margins of terminal cleft slightly anterior to level of setae h3. Distance between dorsal setae: c2:d2 80 (77–80), d2: e2 75 (65–75), e2:h3 69 (55–60), d1:d2 51 (48–53), e1: e2 13 (15–22), h1:ps2 13 (11–13), f2:f2 102 (95–100), h2:h2 78 (75–78), h3:h3 49 (49–51), ps1:ps1 33 (33–35), ps2:ps2 112 (108– 110).

Sternum about half the total length of epimerites I ( Fig. 1 B). Epimerites I–IV without wide sclerotized areas. Sclerotized area of epimerites IIa with narrow longitudinal membrane. Epimerites IIIa extending to level of subhumeral setae c3. Epimerites IV with triangle-shaped sclerotized area at bases of trochanters IV. Epimerites IVa absent. Genital apparatus posterior to level of trochanters IV. Genital arch 11 (9–10) in length, 31 (28–30) in width at base. Aedeagus short, dagger-shaped, extending to level of setae g, length 29 (26–29). Genital papillae free, arranged in almost transverse row. Anal suckers large, cylindrical, slightly curved, 40 (40–44) long, 20 (18–20) in diameter in apical part, corolla not thickened, with 2 small teeth. Adanal shields as small plates around bases of setae ps3. Distance between ventral setae: 3b:3a 12 (10–13), 3a:4a 50 (45– 50), 4a:g 58 (53–60), g:ps3 22 (22–24), ps3:ps3 22 (22–26), ps3:h3 50 (44–50).

Genual setae cG I, cG II thickened basally, with filiform apex; setae mG I, mG II setiform. Solenidion σ 1 of genu III approximately at midlevel of segment ( Fig. 3 C). Solenidion ϕ of tibia IV extending to distal margin of ambulacral disc. Tarsus IV 44 (44–46) long, with subapical ridge; seta d at level of distal third of segment, setae e on distal end of subapical ridge ( Fig. 3 D).

Female (range of measurements for 2 paratypes). Idiosoma, length x width, 515–525 x 230–255, length of hysterosoma 355–365. Prodorsal shield: lateral margins without incisions, antero-lateral extensions short and acute, posterior margin medially with shallow concavity, surface punctate, with small dash-like lacunae in medial part and at posterolateral margins, length along midline 144–150, width at posterior margin 150–155 ( Fig. 2 A). Setae se separated by 95–100. Scapular shields as in male. Setae c1 on soft tegument near anterior margin of hysteronotal shield. Setae c2 on anterior margin of humeral shields. Setae c3 lanceolate, 24–25 x 7– 7.5. Distance between prodorsal and hysteronotal shields 35–44. Hysteronotal shield entire, anterior margin straight, total length (from anterior margin to lobar apices) 340–352, length from anterior margin to anterior end of terminal cleft 290–300, width at anterior margin 135–140, surface punctate, with sparse dash-like lacunae in median part. Width of lobar region at level of setae h2 105–108. Terminal cleft narrowly V-shaped with rounded bottom, length 55–57, width at level of setae ps 1 20–23. Supranal concavity circular, with pair of short grooves directed antero-laterally. Setae h1 slightly anterior to level of supranal concavity. Setae ps1 lanceolate, 20–21 x 3, situated on margins of terminal cleft, approximately at midlevel between setae h2 and h3. Setae h2 190–200 long. Setae h3 setiform, 43–45 in length, about 1/3 length of terminal appendages.

Distance between dorsal setae: c2:d2 115–122, d2:e2 115–138, e2:h2 70–76, h2:h 3 30–33, d1:d2 55–58, e1: e2 60–64, h1:h2 46–51, h1:h1 63–65, h2:h2 90–93, h3:h3 57–63, h2:ps 1 22–24.

Sternum about 1/3 of total length of epimerites I. Epimerites I–IV without large sclerotized areas. Sclerotized area of epimerites IIa with narrow longitudinal membrane ( Fig. 3 B). Epimerites IVa absent. Translobar apodemes of opisthosomal lobes present, fused to each other anterior to terminal cleft. Epigynum bow-shaped, 33–36 in length, 68–70 in width. Copulatory opening on posterior margin of supranal concavity; spermatheca and spermaduct as in Fig 6 E. Distance between pseudanal setae: ps2:ps2 48–50, ps3:ps 3 24–26, ps2:ps 3 20–22. Setae ps2 situated at midlevel of anal opening.

General structure of legs I–IV as in male, except for relatively longer tarsi. Setae d, f of tarsi III, IV subequal in length, corresponding setae e noticeably shorter. Solenidion of tibia IV slightly shorter than that on tibia III.

Etymology. The specific epithet derives from the generic name of the type host, and is a noun in the genitive case.

Note about the host: Menura novaehollandiae is not native to Tasmania. The species was introduced from the mainland Australian state of Victoria for conservation purposes, due to fear of extinction on the mainland from predation by foxes and hunting by humans ( Higgins et al. 2001). Twenty birds were released in Tasmania between 1934 and 1949.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Atelophyllodes menurae sp. n., male. A—dorsal view, B—ventral view.

FIGURE 2. Atelophyllodes menurae sp. n., female. A—dorsal view, B—ventral view.

FIGURE 3. Atelophyllodes menurae sp. n., legs of male. A – D—legs I – IV, respectively.

FIGURE 6. Atelophyllodes species, details. A – E— Atelophyllodes menurae sp. n., F – I A. atyeoi sp. n. A—tarsus I of female, B—tarsus II of female, C—tibia and tarsus III of female, D—tibia and tarsus IV of female, E—spermatheca and spermaducts, F—femur and genu I of male, G—femur and genu II of male, H—tibia and tarsus IV of male, Ispermatheca and spermaducts. co—copulatory opening, hs—head of spermatheca, pd—primary spermduct, sdsecondary spermduct.