Veigaia slovaca Mašán, 2008

Án, Peter Ma Š, A, Peter Fen Ď & Mihál, Ivan, 2008, New edaphic mites of the genus Ve i g a i a from Slovakia and Bulgaria, with a key to the European species (Acari, Mesostigmata, Veigaiidae), Zootaxa 1897, pp. 1-19 : 13-15

Veigaia slovaca Mašán , sp. nov.

( Figs 15–19 )

Material examined. Slovakia. Holotype. Female. Bukovské vrchy hills: Zboj village, Stinská Mt., 17 September 1998. Paratypes. Bukovské vrchy hills: 2 females, Topoľa village, 4 June 1997; Kozie chrbty Mts.: 2 females, Svit town, Lopušná dolina valley, Tabličky saddle, 9 July 2003; Malá Fatra Mts.: 3 females, Šútovo village, Šútovský vodopád waterfall, 11 June 1997; Muránska planina plateau: 1 female, Č ervená Skala village, Trsteník valley, 22 May 2002; 1 female, Muráň village, Poludnica Mt., Klin forest, 21 May 2002; 2 females, Závadka nad Hronom village, Veľká Stožka Mt., 8 October 2002; Poľana Mts.: 1 female, Hriňová town, Zadná Poľana Mt., 11 September 1997; Revúcka vrchovina highland: 2 females, Hrušovo village, Hrušovské škrapy karst, 21 June 2005; Slovenský kras karst: 1 female, Kečovo village, Domica cave, Majkova sieň dome, 29 April 1997; Veľká Fatra Mts.: 1 female, Blatnica village, Dedošova dolina valley, Veterné forest, 4 June 2003; 1 female, Liptovské Revúce village, Sedlo pod Rakytovom saddle, 20 July 2004; Vihorlatské vrchy hills: 1 female, Jovsa village, Vihorlat Mt., 18 June 2004; Volovské vrchy hills: 1 female, Rožňava town, Č učma settl., 20 July 2003; Vysoké Tatry Mts.: 6 females, Tatranská Javorina village, Predné Kopské sedlo saddle, 12 July 2005.

Description (Female). Dorsal idiosoma ( Fig. 15 ). Idiosoma 495–525 µm long and 310–335 µm wide. Dorsal shield (length 460–500 µm, width 295–315 µm), with deep lateral incisions reaching almost to setae J1. Podonotal region longer than wide, longer than opisthonotal region, subtrapezoid, almost rectangular, widely rounded anteriorly, with delicate reticulate pattern on lateral surfaces, bearing 21 pairs of simple, smooth spine-like setae, r4 outside shield. Anterior margin of podonotum connected with peritremes, peritremes with anterior ends not reaching the bases of setae z1. Opisthonotal region subtrapezoid, bowl-like, wider than long, widely rounded laterally, posterior margin concave, finely reticulated on lateral surfaces, bearing 12 pairs of simple, smooth and spine-like setae. Most dorsal setae subequal in length (32–41 µm), only setae s1 and s2 conspicuously shorter (11–16 µm), z1 and z2 moderately shorter (z 1 21–28 µm, z 2 18–23 µm), j2 and j3 moderately elongate (j2 44–48 µm, j3 40–45 µm), j1 distinctly elongate (52–65 µm). Length of dorsal shield setae generally decreasing posteriorly, posteriormost opisthonotal setae 23–32 µm in length, J 5 23–27 µm. Dorsolateral and ventrolateral membranous cuticle with 12 pairs of simple, smooth and spine-like setae.

Ve n t r a l idiosoma ( Fig. 16 ). Presternal sclerites absent. Sternal shield oblong, weakly sclerotized, anterior and posterior margins not clearly defined, surface smooth except for weakly defined short sculptural lines in lateral areas; anterolateral corners well developed; medial anterior margin slightly concave; anterior margin with small incisions close to setae st1. Sternal shield with three pairs of subequal sternal setae (st1 33–41 µm, st 2 27–33 µm, st 3 28–32 µm) and two pairs of lyrifissures. Metasternal plate fused with endopodal sclerite, bearing seta st4 (26–30 µm) and a lyrifissure, widely oval anteriorly, not connected with sternal shield. Genital shield subtriangular, reticulate on surface, with three pairs of unequal setae (st 5 24–29 µm, Jv 1 31–36 µm, Zv 1 11–15 µm), shield with small posterolateral incisions, fused with ventral shield in metapodal regions, complete fusion of genital and ventral shields also present in some specimens examined. Ventral shield subtrapezoidal, bowl-like, posteriorly concave, distinctly reticulate to transversely striate on surface, with four pairs of subequal setae (Jv2 32–38 µm, Jv 3 28–33 µm, Zv 2 24–30 µm, Zv 3 31–36 µm), anterolateral corners free. Peritrematal shields reduced to very narrow posterior strips. Posterior ends of peritremes free, slightly widened and rounded around stigmata. Minute poststigmatic setae situated outside peritrematal shields. Punctiform organs in metapodal regions of genitiventral shield each with seven pores. Anal shield suboval, wider than long, reticulated, with a total of five setae; three circum-anal setae and a pair of slightly longer pre-anal setae. Lateral and ventral membranous integument with 12 pairs of setae (excluding poststigmatic setae); more posteriorly situated setae slightly shorter. All setae on ventral shields simple, needle-like and mostly smooth.

Spermathecal structures ( Fig. 17 ). Coxae IV associated with well sclerotized tubular structures. Tubes thin, usually curved and with rostrum-like apical expansion; rostrate tips very distinct, dark and strongly sclerotized. Each tube connected with two related saccular structures, proximate sacculus larger and abutting coxa IV.

Gnathosomal structures. Tectum ( Fig. 18 ) with robust calyx-like central projection and relatively small dentate lateral cusps. Central projection widened and bifid distally, smooth laterally and serrated on concave anterior margin. Cheliceral digits as in Fig. 19 .

Legs. All legs with a well developed pretarsus and ambulacral apparatus including pulvillus and two claws. All leg segments without projections. Tibia IV with a long and upright dorso-distal sensory macroseta (70–82 µm). Tarsus I 116–128 µm, tibia I 87 –104 µm, tarsus IV 174–195 µm and tibia IV 100–114 µm.

Etymology. This species is named after the country Slovakia, where the specimens were collected.

Notes. The new species may be easily separated from the other similar V. exigua -like species by the distinctively formed spermathecal tubes of the insemination apparatus associated with coxae IV. The oligodentate movable digit of chelicerae, calyx-like central projection of the tectum, punctiform organ with seven pores, as well as the position of the ventral setae and length and proportion of podosomatal setae j1 and z1, also separate Veigaia slovaca from other similar species.

The diagnosis of the V. exigua -like species is based on the following characters: (1) schizodorsal shield with mediolateral incisions; (2) opisthonotal region with 12 pairs of setae: J1–J4, Z1–Z3 and S1–S5 (setae J5 on soft cuticle outside shield); (3) deficient chaetotaxy of mediolateral cuticle, without the 5–6 pairs of specific spatulate setae seen in other species; (4) angulate and subrectangular ventral shield with four pairs of setae; (5) anal shield with three circum-anal setae and a pair of pre-anal setae (preanals longer than ad-anals); (6) idiosoma with very weakly sclerotized and milk-white integument.

Ecology. This species is a psychrotolerant edaphic detriticole with wide ecological plasticity. In Slovakia it is frequently found (a total of 15 collections was made), and is distributed from low highlands (330 m a.s.l. in Revúcka vrchovina highland) up to the subalpine zone (1,775 m a.s.l. in Vysoké Tatry Mts.). It inhabits mostly leaf litter and heterogeneous soil-wood detritus in both broad-leaved deciduous and coniferous forests, but it shows stronger preference for beech forests (Fagion sylvaticae) and less mixed spruce-beech (Piceetum abietinum with substantially admixed beech), than homogenous coniferous woods. For example, V. slovaca was found only once in thermophilous forest steppe stand on limestone rocks (habitat with Acer sp., Quercus sp. and Crataegus sp.), oak forest (Quercetum), wet growth of Petasites sp., subalpine meadow (Juncetum trifidi), and in a cave biotope.

Figures

FIGURES 15 – 19. Veigaia slovaca sp. nov., Female. 15. Dorsal idiosoma; 16. Ventral idiosoma; 17. Tubular structures of insemination apparatus associated with coxae IV; 18. Tectum; 19. Chelicera, lateral view. Scales: 100 µm: Figs 15, 16; 50 µm: Figs 17 – 19.