Neophyllobius edwardi

Khanjani, Mohammad & Hoseini, Mohammad Ahmad, 2013, Three new species of the genus Neophyllobius Berlese (Acari: Camerobiidae) from Southern and Southwestern Iran, Zootaxa 3666 (4), pp. 510-522 : 511-514

Neophyllobius edwardi sp nov.

( Figs. 1–15 )

FEMALE (n=4). Dimensions: Length excluding gnathosoma 243 (240–265), width 213 (188–223).

Gnathosoma ( Fig. 3 ). Gnathosoma 80 (75–80) long (from base of infracapitulum to tip of palp) and 64 (63– 65) wide. Infracapitulum with seta m only, 23 (20–25), and two pairs of adoral setae, or1 7 (8–10), or2 (7–8); m–m 23 (21–24). Palp ( Fig. 3 ) five segmented with following setal distribution: tarsus with two eupathidia, three simple setae, one small solenidion; tibia with two tactile setae, one blade-like seta; genu with one long, slender, serrated seta 34 (33–37); femur with two serrated setae 19 (18–20), 26 (23–28); cheliceral length 35 (33–36).

Dorsum ( Fig. 1 ). With 15 pairs of long serrated setae on tubercles, all setae longer than distance to setae next behind. Length of prodorsal setae: vi 72 (70–75), ve 61 (57–59), sci 61 (58–60), sce 62 (61–64), pdx 74 (73–79); opisthosomal setae: c1 159 (152–164), c2 111 (95–113), d1 157 (154–161), d2 61 (62–65), e1 150 (145–153), e2 72 (69–70), f1 103 (102–106), f2 50 (50–59), h1 42 (40–44), h2 45 (43–51). Distances between setae: vi– vi 62 (53–60), ve–ve 99 (100–105), vi – ve 32 (36–39), vi–pdx 53 (48–56), pdx–pdx 15 (15–18), c1–d1 49 (38–52), d1–d1 8 (5–13), d1– d2 69 (75–85), d1– e 1 42 (39–46), sc i–sc i 97 (107–108), ve–sci 12 (8–13), sce–sce 136 (137–145), sci–sce 34 (32–36), c1–c1 13 (12–15), c1–c2 83 (79–95), c2–c2 166 (153–170), e1– e 1 4 (5–8), e1–f1 38 (39–45), f1 – h1 38 (26–35), e1– e 2 62 (62–72), d2– e 2 38 (32–36), f1–f1 8 (8–10), f1–f2 51 (50–55), f2–f2 102 (108–115), e2–f2 39 (41–49), h1–h1 6 (8–8), h1–h2 13 (13–15), h2–h2 44 (45–48), c2 – d2 45 (40–50), f2 – h2 42 (30–43). Two pairs of eyes, located between setae sci and sci ( Fig. 1 ).

Venter ( Fig. 2 ). Coxal setae stout and serrate, setae 1c> 1a> 1b. Endopodal shields absent, coxal shields reticulated ( Fig. 2 ). Anogenital area with one pair of aggenital setae (ag), two pairs of genital setae (g1–2) and three pairs of anal setae (ps1–3). Length of ventral setae: 1a 34 (29–31), 1b 23 (20–30), 1c 54 (52–61), 2c 50 (44–57), 3b 36 (35–42), 3c 51 (47–56), 4a 43 (38–41), 4b 21 (23–25) 4c 40 (34–47). Anogenital setae: ag 24 (22–30), g1 18(16–20), g2 15 (13–14), ps1 11 (10–14), ps2 9 (11–14), ps3 10 (10–12); distance g1 – g1 8 (10).

Legs ( Figs. 4–15 ). Measurements of leg I 559 (548–590), leg II 475 (478–489), leg III 500 (514–531), leg IV 542 (562–570). Chaetotaxy of leg segments as follows (specialized setae in parentheses and not included in setal counts): coxae 3-1-2-2, trochanters 1-1-1-1, femora 4-3-2-2, genua 1-1-1-1, tibiae 9(φ)-8(φ)-8(φ)-7(φ), tarsi 10(ω)- 9(ω)-8-8. Leg setae as indicated in Figures 4–15 . Genual setae III–IV longer than I-II ( Figs. 12–15 ). Genual setal lengths as follows: I-IV 235 (220–230) – 285 (268–287) – 300 (300–319) – 348 (320–340).

MALE. Unknown.

Remarks. Neophyllobius edwardi closely resembles N. asalii Khanjani & Ueckermann, 2006 in that the genual setae and setae vi, ve, sci, sce, c1, c2, d1, d2, f1, h1 are almost equal in length and the coxal fields are reticulated. The new species differs from the latter in the lengths of the following dorsal setae: vi 72, sci 61, sce 62, c1 159, e1 150, and f1 103 in N. edwardi opposed to vi 83, sci 75, sce 76, c1 195, e1 173, and f1 128 in N. asalii . The new species also resembles N. afyonenis Akyol & Koç, 2006 in having the same dorsal setae lengths for vi, ve, sci, sce, pdx, c1, c2, d1, d2, e2, f2 and the same femora-tibiae setal formulae. However the new species differs from the latter by: 1) tarsus with two eupathidia, three simple setae, one small solenidion in N. edwardi opposed to two eupathidia, two simple setae, one small solenidion in N. afyonenis , 2) tibia with two tactile setae and one blade-like seta instead of three tactile setae and, one blade-like seta, 3) tarsus II with 9(ω) setae instead of 10(ω) in N. afyonenis .

Etymology. This species is named in honor of Prof. Edward A. Ueckermann (first name), ARC-Plant Protection Research Institute, Pretoria, South Africa.

Type material. Holotype female and three paratype females from soil & rotten leaves of oak trees, Quercus brantii Lindl. , 29° 31' 25'' N, 52° 12' 14'' E, 1824 m a.s.l.), 14 July 2010, Sorkhi region, Koohmare, Fars province, col. Mohammad Ahmad Hoseini.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 7. Neophyllobius edwardi sp. nov. (Female): 1. Dorsum, 2. Venter, 3. Ventral infracapitulum and palp, 4. Tarsus I, 5. Tarsus II, 6. Tarsus III, 7. Tarsus IV.

FIGURES 8 – 15. Neophyllobius edwardi sp. nov. (Female): 8. Femur, genu and tibia I; 9. Femur, genu and tibia II; 10. Femur, genu and tibia III; 11. Femur, genu and tibia III; 12. Genual seta I; 13. Genual seta II; 14. Genual seta III; 15. Genual seta IV.