Parawenhoekia seadi, Saboori, Alireza, Pesic, Vladimir & Hakimitabar, Masoud, 2008

Saboori, Alireza, Pesic, Vladimir & Hakimitabar, Masoud, 2008, A new species of the genus Parawenhoekia (Acari: Chyzeriidae) from Montenegro, Zootaxa 1756, pp. 62-68 : 63-65

Parawenhoekia seadi sp. nov.

( Figs. 1–10 )

Diagnosis. Larva with the following features: fD = 30; fV = 50; fSp = 7-7-7; fnCx = 2-1-1; fnTr = 1-1-1; fnBFe = 1-2-2; fn TFe = 5-4-4; fnGe = 4-4-4; fnTi = 8-8-7; fnTa = 37-29-32; fSol = I (0-1-2-1), II (0-1-2-1), III (0-1-1-0); fκ = I (1-1), II (1-0), III (0-0); fζ = 2-1-0; fε = 1-1-0; fPp = 0-B-B-BBN2-7Bωζ; IP = 2331-2419. AL and PL similar to setae 1b and 2b in shape and round ended.

Description. Holotype larva: Idiosoma 653 long, 366 wide. Dorsal scutum trapezoidal with nasus, anterior and posterolateral angles rounded; anterior and anterolateral margins straight and posterolateral margins slightly convex; scutum with distinct punctation except between nasus and AM which has fine punctation ( Fig. 1 ). AM and S barbed in distal half. AL and PL thick and with very fine barbs and round ended. AM situated slightly posterior to AL. Each lateral eye pair on punctuate ocular plate, about 77 × 40. Eyes circular, anterior 37, posterior 27.

Dorsal idiosomal setae arranged 6, 6, 6, 6, 6; with fine barbs and blunted, each arising from a small plate; fD = 30 ( Fig. 1 ). Ventral idiosomal seta similar but slightly smaller than dorsal ones; there are two sternalae (3a) between coxae II and III. Behind coxae III 50 setae ( Fig. 2 ). Anus oval, a pair of anal valves present with one seta (there is one seta on right valve abnormally in holotype whereas in some paratypes there is one seta on left valve abnormally and in some other paratypes there is one seta on each valve normally).

Coxala 1a tapering, pointed and barbed, coxalae 1b and 2b thick and short with fine barbs ( Fig. 2 ). Urstigma oval, attached to coxa II, 50 × 33 ( Fig. 2 ). Coxala 3b tapering and barbed.

Each leg tarsus with two lateral foliate claws and a middle falciform empodium with subterminal tooth. Leg segmentation formula: 7-7-7.

Leg setal formula: Leg I: Ta-1ω, 1ε, 2ζ, ~37B; Ti- 2ϕ, 1κ, 8B; Ge- 1σ, 1κ, 4B; TFe- 5B; BFe- 1B; Tr-1B ( Figs. 5 & 8 ). Leg II: Ta- 1ω, 1ε, 1ζ, ~29B; Ti-2ϕ, 8B; Ge- 1σ, 1κ, 4B; TFe-4B; BFe- 2B;Tr- 1B ( Figs. 6 & 9 ). Leg III: Ta- ~32B; Ti- 1ϕ, 7B; Ge- 1σ, 4B; TFe- 4B; BFe- 2B; Tr- 1B ( Figs. 7 & 10 ).

Gnathosoma: Cheliceral bases robust, conical, 166 × 96 (combined). Cheliceral blades stright with some teeth in distal half. Oral and subcapitular setae barbed ( Fig. 3 ). Palpal setal formula: 0-B-B-BBN2-7Bωζ. Femorala and genuala barbed. Tibia with two barbed and a short nude seta. Palpal tarsus with one solenidion, one eupathidium, seven barbed setae which one of them is curved ( Fig. 4 ). Palpal tibial claw curved, pointed, subequal, moderately separated.

IP = 753 + 726 + 856 = 2335 holotype

Measurements are given in table 1.

Etymology. This species is named after Dr. Sead Hadziablahovic (Podgorica) in appreciation of his studies on biodiversity of Montenegro.

Remarks. The family Chyzeriidae is new to the fauna of Montenegro.This species is differ from P. d e c t i c i by shape of scutum (trapezoidal vs. oval), S much longer than AM (semi-equal in P. dectici ), Oral seta barbed (vs. nude), AL and PL thick and round ended and different from other dorsal setae (vs. similar to dorsal setae). Paoli (1937) was shown four setae in fig. 89B on palp tibia but all terrestrial parasitengone mite larvae have three or two setae on palp tibia. Authors' efforts to find and check holotype of P. d e c t i c i were unsuccessful.

Parawenhoekia was previously found on long-horned grasshoppers ( Tettigoniidae ). Our finding reveal that it is also ectoparasite of short-horned grasshoppers ( Acrididae ) and bugs ( Pentatomidae ), two different orders of insects. It is a generalist parasite of insect and not restricted to a species, genus or family of insects. Like other chyzeriids, it seems that Parawenhoekia mites like high relative humidity and live in semi-aquatic habitats.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 4. Parawenhoekia seadi sp. nov. (larva). 1, Dorsal view of idiosoma; 2, Ventral view of idiosoma; 3, Dorsal view (right) and ventral view of gnathosoma; 4, palp tarsus.

FIGURES 5 – 7. Parawenhoekia seadi sp. nov. (larva). 5, Leg I, trochanter-tibia; 6, Leg II, trochanter-tibia; 7, Leg III, trochanter-tibia.

FIGURES 8 – 10. Parawenhoekia seadi sp. nov. (larva). 8, Ta I; 9, Ta II; 10, Ta III.