Raphignathus (Diraphignathus) neohecmatanaensis sp. nov.

Khan, Eid Muhammad, Kamran, Muhammad, Mirza, Jawwad Hassan & Alatawi, Fahad Jaber, 2023, New subgenera and a new species of the genus Raphignathus Duges (Prostigmata, Raphignathidae), with taxonomic notes on the genus Neoraphignathus Smiley & Moser, ZooKeys 1176, pp. 165-180 : 165

Raphignathus (Diraphignathus) neohecmatanaensis sp. nov.

Figs 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5-8

Diagnosis.

Female: endopodal shield absent between coxae I-IV; two small shields present posterolateral to median prodorsal shield; palp femora with two setae; femora 6-5-3-2; genua 5(+κ)-5(+κ)-4-4; tibiae 5(+φρ)-5(+φρ)-4(+φρ)-4 (+φρ); tarsi 21(1ω) -20(1ω)-15-14.

Description.

Female (n = 4). Idiosoma oval, length of body (including gnathosoma) 533 (525-545); width of body 345 (338-353).

Dorsum (Fig. 1 ). Propodosoma with one medial and two lateral shields each containing three setae; medial sclerite with setae vi, si and c1; paired ovoid lateral shields each with an eye, one cupule (ia) and sci, sce and seta c2 seta; opisthosomal setal pairs d1, e1 and the pair of cupuli (im); posterior opisthosomal shield large, rectangular, bearing four pairs of setae (f1, h1-3) and one pair of the cupule (ip); all dorsal shields finely punctate; dorsal body setae setiform, smooth and acute; pseudanal setae ps1 dorsally located. Lengths of dorsal setae: vi 25 (23-27), ve 28 (26-30), sci 27 (26-29), sce 28 (26-29), c1 23 (17-19), c2 25 (19-23), d1 21 (20-23), e1 22 (21-23), f1 21 (19-22), h1 24 (23-25), h2 25 (23-25), h3 22 (21-24), ps1 23 (21-25); distances between dorsal 195 setae: vi-vi 27 (29-31), sci-sci 123 (118-128), vi- sci 70 (66-72), sce-c2 68 (65-72), c1-c1 30 (28-32), d1-d1 99 (92-101), c1-d1 53 (49-55), d1-e1 22 (21-24), f1-f1 88 (83-90), e1-f1 65 (61-68), h1-h1 45 (42-48), h1-h2 43 (41-46), h2-h2 77 (72-80), h3-h3 101 (98-106).

Venter (Fig. 2 ). Venter entirely striated, without punctations; coxisternal shields absent (Fig. 2 ); ventral setae lengths: 1a 42 (41-44), 1b 38 (35-39), 1c 34 (33-36), 2b 36 (30-34), 2c 32 (30-34), 3a 24 (23-26), 3b 18 (17-20), 3c 36 (34-38), 4a 22 (23-27), 4c 38 (35-40); two pairs of aggenital setae (ag1-2) with one cupule (ih) on each side of the genital shield; anal opening and genital shields separate; genital shield prominent with a few punctations, bearing three pairs of genital setae (g1-3); anal opening terminal, with three pairs of setae (ps1 -3), ps1 dorsal ps3 and ps2 ventral; ventral setal lengths: ag1 29 (27-32); ag2 27 (25-28); g1 31 (28-33); g2 25 (23-28); g3 20 (19-22); ps2 22 (21-23); ps3 21 (20-22). Distances between ventral setae: 1a-1a 55 (53-58), 3a-3a 115 (97-109), 4a-4a 70 (68-73), ag2-ag2 42 (41-43), g1-g1 38 (35-40), g2-g2 52 (48-55), g3-g3 75 (74-75), 2b-2c 30 (25-29), 1a-3a 50 (49-53), 3a-4a 72 (68-75), 4a-ag1 85 (82-88), ag1-ag2 65 (63-68), ag2-g1 63 (60-65), g1-g2 15 (14-17), g2-g3 22 (21-25), ag-g1 42 (40-45), g3-ps3 16 (15-18), ps2- ps3 16 (14-18).

Gnathosoma (Figs 3 , 4 ). Ventral infracapitular with two pairs of very long setae (m and n), m 40 (39-42), n 52 (49-54) and two pairs of pilose adoral setae (or1-2), or1 23 (21-24), or2 20 (19-22) (Fig. 3 ); stylophore conical and striated; palp chaetotaxy (femur-tarsus) as follows: 3-2-4+1 claw 4+1ω+4 eupathidia (ζ) (Fig. 4 ).

Legs (Figs 5-8 ). Length of legs I-IV (without coxae): 340 (328-348); 270 (276-286); 325 (317-328); 375 (367-384), respectively. Chaetotaxy on legs I-IV (solenidia in parentheses and not included in setal counts): coxa 2-2-2-1; trochanter 1-1-2-1; femora 6-5-3-2; genua 5(+κ)-5(+κ)-4-4; tibiae 5(+φρ)-5(+φρ)-4(+φρ)-4(+φρ); tarsi 21(1ω) -20(1ω)-15-14.

Male and immature stages.

Unknown.

Type materials.

Holotype female and three paratype females, Faifa, Jazan, 24°30.412'N, 39°36.578'E, 8 Oct., 2020, collected from Ziziphus spina-christi Mill. ( Rhamnaceae ) by Eid M. Khan, Jawwad H. Mirza & Hafiz S. Mushtaq.

Etymology.

The specific epithet is in reference to the similarity of the new species to R. (D.) hecmatanaensis ; neo = new.

Remarks.

Raphignathus (D.) neohecmatanaensis sp. nov., belongs to the subgenus Diraphignathus subgen. nov. The new species resembles to R. (D.) hecmatanaensis Khanjani & Ueckermann in having two pairs of setae (d1 and e1) on the interscutal membrane, two setae on the palp femora, and two small plates present posterolateral to the median prodorsal shield. However, the new species differs from R. (D.) hecmatanaensis in the absence of an endopodal shield (vs present), femur IV with two setae (vs three), and leg tarsus I with one solenidion (vs two solenidia).

Figures

Figure 1. Raphignathus (Diraphignathus) neohecmatanaensis sp. nov. (female), dorsum. Scale bar: 100 µm.

Figure 2. Raphignathus (Diraphignathus) neohecmatanaensis sp. nov. (female), venter. Scale bar: 100 µm.

Figure 3. Raphignathus (Diraphignathus) neohecmatanaensis sp. nov. (female), gnathosoma. Scale bar: 50 µm.

Figure 4. Raphignathus (Diraphignathus) neohecmatanaensis sp. nov. (female), palp. Scale bar: 20 µm.

Figures 5 - 8. Raphignathus (Diraphignathus) neohecmatanaensis sp. nov. (female), Legs I-IV. Scale bar: 20 µm.