Trachytes virginiana, Kontschán, 2017

Kontschán, Jenő, 2017, New species and new records of Uropodina from Virginia, USA (Acari: Mesostigmata), Zootaxa 4347 (2) : -

Trachytes virginiana sp. nov.

( Figs 17–30 )

Material examined. Holotype. Female, USA, Virginia, Bland county , west side of Big Walker Mountain , 1500m, ca 6 km E of Sharon springs, northern hardwoods, 9 May. 1981, collected by R.L. Hoffman . Paratypes. Five females, one male and four deutonymphs, same data as for holotype.

Description. Female. Length of idiosoma 970–1010, width 620–630 (n=6) Shape of idiosoma pear-shaped.

Dorsal idiosoma ( Fig. 15 ). Wide (ca 150–160) and ribbed lateral part situated around whole idiosoma. Marginal and dorsal shields fused anteriorly. Pygidial shield wide and oval (120–125 × 450–460), placed between the posterior margin of dorsal shield and the anterior margin of postdorsal shield. Majority of setae on dorsal and marginal shields short (ca 48–56), smooth and needle-like, setae j1, j2 and j3 longer (ca 72–84), Setae on external margin of marginal shield needle-like and very long (ca 205–220). Three pairs long (ca 150–168) and needle-like setae situated on postdorsal shield. Surface of dorsal shield smooth, marginal shield with web-like sculptural pattern, area close to posterior margin of postdorsal shield with Y-shaped sculptural pattern. One pore-like sensory organ situated close to short setae on dorsal shield, two pairs of lyriform fissures situated on caudal area of dorsal shield, and one pair situated on anterior area of marginal shield. One pair of large gland opening-like structures visible close to posterior end of marginal shield.

Ventral idiosoma ( Fig. 16 ). Sternal setae short (ca 15–17), smooth, and needle-like. Seta St1 situated near the anterior margin of sternal shield, St2 and St3 near anterior margin of genital shield, St4 placed at the level of posterior margin of coxae III, St5 situated on adgenital platelets, St6 placed near basal margin of genital shield. Sternal shield without sculptural pattern. Ventral and inguinal shields fused, covered by oval pits on anterior parts of lateral area. Four pairs of long (ca 93–98) needle-like setae situated anterior to anal opening, and three pairs of shorter (ca 67–78) and needle-like setae lateral to anal opening situated on small platelets in membranous cuticle. Adanal setae short (ca 28–30) and needle-like. Postanal seta absent. Genital shield axe-shaped, a little wider basally than apically (1:0.8). Anterior margin of genital shield straight, its surface covered by oval pits in the basal area. Adgenital platelets present. Genital shield situated between coxae III and IV. Peritremes long and straight, stigmata situated near coxae III. One pair of lyriform fissures situated anterior to stigmata, with some pore-like sensory organs. Pore-like sensory organs situated close to setae on ventral shield and one pair situated between the first and second adanal setae. Tritosternum ( Fig. 21 ) with wide base, tritosternal laciniae divided into four smooth branches.

Gnathosoma ( Fig. 21 ). Corniculi horn-like, internal malae longer than corniculi and marginally serrate. Hypostomal setae h1 long (ca 54–58) and smooth, h2 short (ca 21–23) and smooth, h3 similar in shape to h1, ca 77–80 long, h4 marginally serrate and ca 19–21 long. Three transverse rows of denticles situated between setae h3 and h4. Chelicerae with long sharp apical process on fixed digit, two lateral sensory organs situated on fixed digit, movable digit shorter than fixed digit and bearing one tooth ( Fig. 22 ). Epistome marginally serrate ( Fig. 23 ). Palps with smooth setae, except one serrate seta on palp trochanter ( Fig. 21 ).

Legs. Length of legs: I = 600–620, II = 670–685, III = 620–625, IV = 790–800. Leg I with small ambulacral claws, surface of leg I and II covered by small oval pits, setae on leg I smooth and needle-like, other legs bearing smooth and marginally serrate setae ( Figs 25–27 ).

Male. Length of idiosoma 1030, width 590 (n=670–1).

Dorsal idiosoma. Shape and dorsal aspect of idiosoma as in female, except the caudal area of dorsal idiosoma: pygidial shield absent, postdorsal shield narrow (92 long and 480 wide), with Y-shaped sculptural pattern near caudal margin. Setae on postdorsal shield as in female ( Fig. 19 ).

Ventral idiosoma ( Fig. 20 ). Surface of sternal shield with some irregular pits lateral to genital opening. Five pairs of smooth, short (ca 11–13 µm) and needle-like sternal setae present. St1 situated close to anterior margin of sternal shield, St2 at level of posterior margin of coxae II, St3 at level of posterior margin of coxae III, St4 at level of anterior margin of genital shield, St5 near posterior margin of genital shield. Inguinal and ventrianal shields fused, but separated from sternal shield. Position and shape of ventral setae and ornamentation of ventral shield as in female. Genital shield circular, without sculptural pattern and without euanal setae. It situated between coxae IV. Deutonymph. Length of idiosoma 710–760, width 430–510 (n=4).

Dorsal idiosoma ( Fig. 29 ). Wide (ca 125–130) and ribbed lateral part situated around whole idiosoma. Dorsal idiosoma with podonotal (580–590 long, 250–265 wide), pygidial shield (110–115 long, 275–280 wide), and two large lateral shields (330–340 long, 180–195 wide). Podonotal shield with nine pairs of smooth and needle-like setae, first two pairs longer (ca 63–70), others shorter (ca 36–42), its surface with web-like sculptural pattern. Lateral shields triangular-shaped with six pairs of short (ca 23–35) and needle-like setae, surface covered by irregular pits. Pygidial shield bean-shaped (110–125 × 275–280), bearing three pairs of long (ca 85–90) and needle-like setae and covered by irregular pits. One pair of needle-like setae (ca 33–35) placed on small platelets (17–19 × 22–24) situated close to posterior end of podonotal shield. Margins of idiosoma bearing numerous long (ca 150–165) and needle-like setae.

Ventral idiosoma ( Fig. 30 ). Five pairs of sternal setae short (ca 14–16), smooth, and needle-like. St1 situated near the anterior margin of sternal shield, St2 at level of posterior margin of coxae II, St3 at level of central area of coxae III, St4 at level of central area of coxae IV, St5 situated close to posterior end of sternal shield. Sternal shield with some irregular pits on posterior area. Inguinal shield without setae and covered by irregular pits. Anal shield oval, covered by irregular pits and bearing two pairs of short (ca 14–16) and needle-like adanal setae. One pair of pore-like sensory organ placed between adanal setae. Eight pairs of long (ca 36–40) and one pair of short (ca 14– 15) setae situated around anal shield. Two pairs of large pore-like sensory organs situated among long ventral setae. Tritosternum ( Fig. 28 ) with wide base, tritosternal laciniae divided into four smooth branches.

Gnathosoma ( Fig. 28 ). Corniculi horn-like, internal malae longer than corniculi and marginally serrate. Hypostomal setae h1 long (ca 40–44) and smooth, h2 short (ca 13–15) and smooth, h3 similar in shape to h1, ca 48–52 long, h4 marginally serrate and ca 20–23 long. Three transverse rows of denticles situated between setae h3 and h4. Palp trochanter with two serrate ventral setae.

Etymology. The name of the new species refers to the state of Virginia, where it was collected.

Notes. Only one Trachytes species has a wide and ribbed lateral part around the idiosoma: Trachytes krantzi Huţu, 2000 , which was described based only on males ( Huţu, 2000). The differences between the new species and T. krantzi are presented in Table 2.

Figures

FIGURES 17 – 20. Trachytes virginiana sp. nov., holotype, female. 17. Body in dorsal view. 18. Body in ventral view. 19. Caudal area of dorsal idiosoma in male paratype. 37. Intercoxal area of male paratype.

FIGURES 21 – 28. Trachytes virginiana sp. nov., holotype, female. 21. Ventral view of tritosternum, gnathosoma and palp. 22. Chelicera. 23. Epistome. 24. Ventral view of leg I. 25. Ventral view of leg II. 26. Ventral view of leg III. 27. Ventral view of leg IV. 28. Ventral view of tritosternum, gnathosoma and palp trochanter in deutonymph paratype.

FIGURES 19 – 30. Trachytes virginiana sp. nov., paratype, deutonymph. 29. Body in dorsal view. 30. Body in ventral view.

FIGURES 14 – 16. Jedediella hoffmani sp. nov., paratype, deutonymph. 14. Body in dorsal view. 15. Body in ventral view. 16. Ventral view of tritosternum, gnathosoma and palp.