Formicomotes octipes Sevastianov, 1980

Khaustov, Alexander A. & Frolov, Andrey V., 2018, A new species of Formicomotes Sevastianov (Acari: Heterostigmata: Dolichocybidae) associated with termites (Isoptera: Termitidae) from Brazil, with redescription of Formicomotes octipes Sevastianov, 1980, Zootaxa 4382 (2), pp. 393-400 : 397

Formicomotes octipes Sevastianov, 1980

( Figs 4 , 5 )

Formicomotes octipes Sevastianov, 1980 , p. 1454, Figs 1 –7.

Description. Phoretic female ( Figs 4 , 5 ). Body weakly sclerotized, round. Length of idiosoma 120–125, maximum width 105–110. Gnathosoma ( Figs 1 , 2 ). Length of gnathosoma 21–23, width 25–27. Cheliceral stylets large, thick, directed anteriorly. Seta dGe distinctly longer than seta m and slightly longer than length of gnathosoma, pointed, smooth. Subcapitular seta m 12–13 smooth, pointed. Both palpal solenidia weakly clavate; outer solenidion striated, slightly longer and thicker than non-striated inner one.

Idiosomal dorsum ( Fig 4A ). All dorsal shields smooth. All dorsal setae smooth. Setae c 1 and f moderately blunt-ended, other dorsal setae pointed. Posterior margins of dorsal shields non-dentate. Cupules ia and im large, round. Lengths of dorsal setae: v 1 17–22, v 2 24–25, sc 2 24–25, c 1 11–12, c 2 12–14, d 14–15, e 12–14, f 6–7, h 1 vestigial, h 2 82–87. Distances between setae: v 1 –v 1 23–25, v 2 –v 2 27–30, sc 2 –sc 2 71–74, c 1– c 1 34–39, d–d 82–85, e–e 36–37, f–f 22–23, e–f 7, h 1– h 1 7–8, h 2– h 2 15–16.

Idiosomal venter ( Fig 4B ). All ventral plates smooth. All ventral setae smooth, needle-like. Prosternal apodeme absent. Weak linear depressions visible between coxal fields I and II, III and IV, and between coxal fields IV. Soft, striated cuticle located between posterior sternal plate and plate HPsAg. Lengths of ventral setae: 1 a 5–6, 2 a 6–7, 3 a 5–6, 4 a 5–6, ag 4. Plate HPsAg with one pair of suboval weak depressions located laterad anal opening.

Legs ( Fig 5 ). All legs subequal in length. All legs setae smooth. Leg I ( Fig 5A ). Tarsus with two symmetrical claws and semi-oval empodium. Eupathidium k flattened, lanceolate, with distinctly rounded tip. Setae (u), tc” on tarsus and v” on tibia pointed. Other leg setae blunt-ended. Lengths of solenidia ω 1 6, ω 2 3, φ 1 7–8, φ 2 4. Leg II ( Fig 5B ). Solenidion ω 8, solenidion φ 4–5. Setae tc”, pv’ on tarsus and v” on tibia pointed. Other leg setae blunt-ended. Setae pl”, tc’ and pv” slightly thickened. Leg III ( Fig 5C ). Solenidion φ 3. Setae tc’, tc”, pv’ on tarsus and v” on tibia pointed. Other leg setae blunt-ended. Leg IV ( Fig 5D ). Solenidion φ 3–4. Setae tc”, pv’ on tarsus and v” on tibia pointed. Other leg setae blunt-ended.

Male and non-phoretic female unknown.

Material examined. Seven female paratypes, Ukraine, Khmelnitsk Province, vicinity of settlement Chemerovtsy, 31 July 1963, V.D. Sevastianov leg., on ant Lasius fuliginosus : 31 females, Crimea, South Demerdjy mountain, 24 September 2001, A.A. Khaustov leg., in wet forest litter under oriental beech Fagus orientalis Lipsky.

Remarks. The original description of F. octipes of Sevastianov (1980) is incomplete; thus, we prepared a redescription of this species. The present redescription of F. octipes is based mainly on material from Crimea. The female paratypes available for this study were found to be in poor condition, yet sufficient to confirm its conspecificity with the material from Crimea.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Formicomotes brasiliensis sp. nov., phoretic female: A—dorsum of the body, B—venter of the body. Legs omitted.

FIGURE 2. Formicomotes brasiliensis sp. nov., phoretic female: A—right leg I in dorsal view, B—right leg II in dorsal view, C—right leg III in dorsal view, D—right leg IV in dorsal view.

FIGURE 4. Formicomotes octipes Sevastianov, 1980, phoretic female: A—dorsum of the body, B—venter of the body. Legs omitted.

FIGURE 5. Formicomotes octipes Sevastianov, 1980, phoretic female: A—right leg I in dorsal view, B—right leg II in dorsal view, C—right leg III in dorsal view, D—right leg IV in dorsal view.