Podotarsonemus zuluensis Seeman, Lindquist & Husband, 2018

Seeman, Owen D., Lindquist, Evert E. & Husband, Robert W., 2018, A new tribe of tarsonemid mites (Trombidiformes: Heterostigmatina) parasitic on tetrigid grasshoppers (Orthoptera), Zootaxa 4418 (1), pp. 1-54 : 42-47

Podotarsonemus zuluensis Seeman, Lindquist & Husband sp. nov.

Figures 25–27

Type material. Holotype. Adult female. SOUTH AFRICA, Natal, Ntumeni, D. Otte, 7 Mar. 1965, ex probable Pelusca sp. ( Tetrigidae ), specimen # 1. RWH 10VIII2010 -12. In UMMZ.

Paratypes. 7 females, 1 male, 5 larvae, as follows. 4 females, 2 larvae, same data as holotype. 4 females, 1 male, 4 larvae, same data as holotype except host specimen #2. In UMMZ except 1 female, 1 larva in each of CNCI and QM.

Diagnosis. Female and male: Palps with 2 setae (1 minute); chelicerae without teeth; prodorsal plate entirely punctate; femora I–II without setae d, lʹ; tibia I seta l″ short (3–5); genua II–III bare; tarsus II with 4 setae, seta uʹʹ absent; tarsus III with 5 setae, seta uʹʹ present; trochanter IV with seta. Female: Setae sc1 present; vestigial setae v2 expressed as anterolateral invaginations; coxisternal plates III–IV separated by longitudinal striae; setae h short, 5– 7 long; tracheal atria separate, post-atrial sac lightly sclerotized, not punctate. Male: Genital capsule without copulatory flanges; setae h1 rudimentary, like h2; tibia IV with solenidion, without setae; tarsus IV rudimentary, subterminal. Male and larva: Leg I with tibia and tarsus fused. Larva: setae h1-2 and ps1-2 short, 5–12 long leg I without claws.

Description. ADULT FEMALE ( Fig. 25 , n = 7 measured)

Gnathosoma . Length 36–45, width 40–41. Palps 6–7, with 2 setae (2–3 and 1 long). Cheliceral stylets 18–22, without teeth. Pharynx length 25–27, width 11–14. Dorsal setae ch 19–21, ventral setae su 13–19, palpcoxal setae e 6–8.

Idiosoma . Length 205–260, width 145–165. Tracheal atria separate, post-atrial sac lightly sclerotized, not punctate, with two small prongs indicating separate terminal tracheae. Prodorsal plate with punctate sculpturing, 76–90 long, 93–104 wide; with 3 pairs of setae: v 1 14–16, thickened, blunt, with barbs, sc 1 11–14, sc2 51–60, and vestigial v2 expressed as anterolateral invaginations. Distance between setae v1-v 1 24–27, v2-v2 32 –34, sc1-sc1 37–39, sc2-sc2 70– 81, v1 -sc 2 17–22. Plates C, D, EF and H with punctate sculpturing. Setae c1, d, e, f blunt, with small barbs, c 1 13–15, c2 37–42, d 13–15, e 7–10, f 10–11. Distance between setae c1-c1 56–61, c2-c2 107–115, c1-c 2 22–26, d-d 26–33, e-e 40–50, f-f 16–23. Setae h short, 5–7. Distance between setae h-h 22–25. Cupules ia, im, ih present. Setae ps attenuate> 60, distance between setae ps-ps 11–13. Coxisternal setae short to attenuate, 1a 13–19, 2a 13–25, 3a> 80, 3b> 45. Distance between setae 1a-1a 15–18, 2a-2a 31–39, 3a-3a 13–17, 3b-3b 25–34; alveolar vestiges of setae 1b present, 2b not evident. Coxisternal plates III–IV separated by longitudinal striae; coxisternal plates III convex anteriorly, sometimes just overlapping posterior margin of coxisterna II.

Legs. Leg lengths: I 45 –46, II 41 –45, III 41 –45. Leg IV Fe-Ge length 17–20, Ti-Ta length 15–17. Leg III, femur and genu fused.

Femur I lʹʹ rudimentary, vʹʹ 18–24; genu I lʹ 3, lʹʹ 2–3, vʹ 4–5, vʹʹ 4–5; tibia and tarsus I fused, tibial setae d 24– 33, lʹ 7–8, lʹʹ 3–5, vʹ 5–9, vʹʹ 8–11, solenidion φ 3, tarsal setae tcʹ 12–13, tcʹʹ 11–12, pvʹ 8–9, pvʹʹ 5–6, s spine-like, 6, solenidion ω 7–8.

Femur II vʹʹ 11–14; tibia II d 15–31, lʹ 6–8, vʹ 15–19, vʹʹ 17–19; tarsus II tcʹ 16–17, tcʹʹ 18–23, pvʹ 14–19, uʹ spine-like, 5–6, solenidion ω 3–4.

Tibia III d 23–25, lʹ 7–11, vʹ 18–23, vʹʹ 17–22; tarsus III tcʹ 17–20, tcʹʹ 22–27, pvʹ 16–18, uʹ spine-like, 5–6, uʹʹ 3–4.

Trochanter IV with ventral seta 10–13; femorogenu IV bare; tibiotarsus IV with ventral tibial seta 14–18 and terminal tarsal seta> 240.

ADULT MALE ( Fig. 26 , n = 1 measured)

Gnathosoma . Damaged. Cheliceral stylets 18, without teeth. Pharynx length 27, width 10. Dorsal setae 13, ventral setae 6, palpcoxal setae 8.

Idiosoma . Length 139, width 108. Prodorsal plate punctate, 57 long, 81 wide; with 3 pairs of barbed setae (v1 8, sc1 6, sc2 21) and vestigial v2. Distance between setae v1-v1 25, v2-v2 31, sc1-sc1 57, sc2-sc2 26, v1 -sc2 32. Plate CD punctate. Setae with small barbs, setae c1, 8, c2 9, d 8; setae c 1 in transverse alignment with setae c2. Plate EF punctate, e 5, f 6. Distance between setae c1-c1 53, c2-c2 96, c1-c2 21, d-d 8, e-e 21, f-f 8. Cupules ia, im present. Genital capsule 26 long, 28 wide, bearing alveolar remnants of h1, h2; ventral flanges absent. Coxisternal setae small, 1a 3, 2a 8, 3a 13, 3b 10. Distance between setae 1a-1a 14, 2a-2a 36, 3a-3a 19, 3b-3b 20; setae 1a just posterior to ap1, setae 2b far posterior to ap2. Apodemes: ap2 almost reaching medially obsolete ap sj; ap5 small, extend 12 from base, not fused medially.

Legs. Leg lengths: I 36, II 35, III 32, IV 21. Leg III, femur and genu separate.

Femur I, lʹʹ rudimentary, vʹʹ 12; genu I lʹ 3, lʹʹ 3, vʹ 2, vʹʹ 2; tibia and tarsus I fused, tibial setae d 21, lʹ 3, lʹʹ 2, vʹ 2, vʹʹ 5, solenidion φ 2, tarsal setae ftʹ 9, ftʹʹ 8, tcʹ 10, tcʹʹ 9, pvʹ 6, pvʹʹ 5, s spine-like, 5, solenidion ω 6.

Femur II vʹʹ 13; tibia II d 15, lʹ 3, vʹ 12, vʹʹ 13; tarsus II tcʹ 7, tcʹʹ 14, pvʹ 7, uʹ spine-like, 5, solenidion ω 6.

Tibia III d 14, lʹ 4, vʹ 10, vʹʹ 8; tarsus III tcʹ 15, tcʹʹ 14, pvʹ 12, uʹ spine-like, 5, uʹʹ 3.

Trochanter IV with ventral seta 3 long; femorogenu IV bare; tibia IV solenidion φ 7; tarsus IV rudimentary, subterminal, with vestigial seta.

LARVA ( Fig. 27 , n = 4 measured)

Gnathosoma . Length 36–44, width 39–46. Palps 5. Cheliceral stylets 19–22, without teeth. Pharynx length 20–26, width 10–12. Dorsal setae 10–11, ventral setae 6–8.

Idiosoma . Length 190–195, width 115–120. Prodorsal plate smooth, 55 long, split in all specimens; with 3 pairs of weakly barbed setae (v1 5–7, sc1 5–6, sc 2 6–10) and vestigial v2. Distance between setae v1-v 1 13–25, v2- v2 24, sc1-sc1 59, sc2-sc2 39, v1 -sc 2 24–25. Plates C, D, EF punctate. Setae tapering, barbed, c 1 8–10, c2 8, d 9– 10, e 8–9, f 8. Distance between setae c1-c1 51–54, c2-c2 96–100, c1-c 2 24–26, d-d 22–27, e-e 32–34, f-f 14–16. Plate H punctate, setae h1 short, 7–8, h2 ventral, 5–12 (unpaired h 3 in one specimen). Distance between setae h 1 17–21. Cupules ia, im, ih present. Setae ps1 fine, 8–10, ps2 fine, 10. Coxisternal setae 1a 4–5, 2a 4–7, 3a attenuate, 10–17, 3b 5–10. Distance between setae 1a-1a 13–26, 2a-2a 27–32, 3a-3a 34, 3b-3b 26.

Legs. Femur I, lʹʹ rudimentary, vʹʹ 7–10; genu I lʹ 1, lʹʹ 1–2, vʹ 2–3, vʹʹ 2–3; tibia and tarsus I fused, tibial setae d 10–11, lʹ 2–3, lʹʹ 2, vʹ 2–3, vʹʹ 5–6, solenidion φ 2–4, tarsal setae tcʹ 7–8, tcʹʹ 8, pvʹ 5, pvʹʹ 3–4, s spine-like, 5, solenidion ω 3–4.

Femur II vʹʹ 3–4; tibia II d 7–8, lʹ 1–2, vʹ 3–5, vʹʹ 9; tarsus II tcʹ 4–7, tcʹʹ 9–10, pʹ 1, uʹ spine-like, 5, uʹʹ 1, solenidion ω 2.

Tibia III d 7–8, lʹ 2–3, vʹ 6–8, vʹʹ 9–10; tarsus III tcʹ 7–8, tcʹʹ 12–15, pʹ 1, uʹ spine-like, 5, uʹʹ 1. Leg I without claws.

Etymology. The species name zuluensis refers to the presence of this species in Zululand, which is now a part of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

Remarks. Podotarsonemus zuluensis is most similar to P. indicus but differs by several character states as noted in the Differential diagnosis for P. indicus , and also detailed in the key below.

Figures

FIGURE 25. Podotarsonemus zuluensis sp. nov. female, dorsum.

FIGURE 26. Podotarsonemus zuluensis sp. nov. male, dorsum.

FIGURE 27. Podotarsonemus zuluensis sp. nov. larva, dorsum.