Allochaetophora iranica Mahdavi and Asadi

Mahdavi, Sayed Mosayeb & Asadi, Mahdieh, 2015, Third report of Allochaetophoridae Reck, 1959 (Acari: Trombidiformes) based on the description of a new species from Iran, Zootaxa 4012 (2), pp. 361-368 : 363-367

Allochaetophora iranica Mahdavi and Asadi sp. nov.

( Figs. 1–17 )

Diagnosis. Setae d1 and d2 not reaching bases of e1 and e2, genital shield smooth (not punctuated and striated), receptaculum seminis with slender tube terminating into small triangle bulb. Palptarsus with 6 setae (3 eupathidia and 3 setae).

Description. FEMALE (holotype). ( Figs. 1–8 ): Length of body (including gnathosoma) 1105; length (excluding gnathosoma) 915; width 360; length of leg I 220; leg II 185; leg III 165; leg IV 185. Dorsum ( Fig. 1 ): Prodorsum with longitudinal striations forming a reversed U-shaped area. Two transverse spindles present anteriad of setae c2 and d1. Striations longitudinal to undulate on opisthosoma; all dorsal setae linear. Lengths of setae: prodorsal setae: v2 11, sc1 88, sc2 120; opisthosomal setae: c2 32, c3 130, c4 120, d1 25, d2 44, d3 120, e1 20, e2 97, e3 22, f2 79, f3 33, h1 27, h2 110, h3 92. Setae h1–3 located on smooth area. Venter ( Fig. 2 ) Striation pattern different from transverse to longitudinal and undulate. Lengths of intercoxal setae: 1a 105, 3a 120, 4a 45. Genital shield oval, without striations and punctations, bearing 1 pair of aggenital setae in middle part of shield (ag) and 2 pairs of genital setae posteriorly (g 1–2); pseudanal setae furcate: h3 located ventrally, h1–2 dorsally; receptaculum seminis with slender tube (78 long), terminating into small triangle bulb ( Fig. 8 ). Gnathosoma: Palp tarsus ( Fig. 16 ) Setation of palp: femur (d), genu (l"), tibia (d, l', l"), tarsus (3 tactile (a, b, c), 3 eupathidial (ul'ζ, suζ, ul"ζ )). All setae smooth. Legs ( Figs. 12–15 ): Setation of legs I–IV: coxae 2(1b, 1c)–2(2b, 2c)–1(3b)–1(4b); trochanters 1(v')– 1(v')–2(v', l')–1(v'); femora 4(v', d, bv", l")–4(v', d, bv", l")–3(ev', d, l')–1(ev'); genua 5(d, v', v", l', l")–3(d, l', l")– 2(d, l')–3(d, l', v"); tibiae 6(d, v', v", l', l", φ)–5(d, v', v", l', l")–3(d, v', v")–3(d, v', v"); tarsi11 (ft', pv'ζ, pv"ζ, u', u", p'ζ, p"ζ, tc', tc", ω', ω")–10(pv", ft', pv'ζ, pv"ζ, u', u", p'ζ, p"ζ, tc', ω')–7(ft', pv', pv", u', u", tc', tc")–7(ft', pv', pv", u', u", tc', tc"); tarsi I ( Fig. 3 ) and II ( Fig. 4 ) each with 3 forked setae, tarsi III ( Fig. 5 ) and IV ( Fig. 6 ) each with 4 forked setae; solenidia on legs spindle-shaped.

DEUTONYMPH. ( Figs. 9–17 ): Length of body (including gnathosoma) 860; length (excluding gnathosoma) 700; width 245; length of leg I 180; leg II 150; leg III 140; leg IV 160. Terminal end of peritreme hook-like ( Fig. 11 ). Dorsum ( Fig. 9 ): Dorsal striation pattern similar to female; dorsal setae linear. Lengths of setae: v2 24, sc1 99, sc2 125; opisthosomal setae: c2 32, c3 120, c4 116, d1 21, d2 104, d3 69, e l 17, e2 72, e3 23, f2 65, f3 27, h l 20, h2 97, h3 75. Venter ( Fig. 10 ): Lengths of intercoxal setae 1a 88, 3a 100, 4a 73; oval genital shield with 1 pair of genital setae (g1) and 1 pair of aggenital setae (ag); 3 pairs of forked pseudanal setae (ps1–3) on anal valves. Gnathosoma: Palp setae ( Fig. 16 ) as in female. Legs ( Figs. 12–15 ): Setation of legs I–IV as follows: coxae 2(1b, 1c)–2(2b, 2c)–1(3b)– 1(4b); trochanters 1(v')–1(v')–2(v', l')–1(v'); femora 4 (v', d, bv", l")–4 (v', d, bv", l")–2(d, ev')–1(ev'); genua 5 (d, v', v", l', l")–3(d, l', l")–2(d, l')–2(d, l'); tibiae 6(d, v', v", l', l", φ)–5(d, v', v", l', l")–3(d, v', v")–3(d, v', v"); tarsi 12(ft', pv'ζ, pv"ζ, u', u", p'ζ, p"ζ, tc', tc", pv', ω', ω")–10(ft', pv', pv", u', u", p'ζ, p"ζ, tc', tc", ω')–7(ft', pv', pv", u', u", tc', tc")–7(ft', pv', pv", u', u", tc', tc"); tarsi I–IV each with 3 forked setae; all pretarsi with paired padlike claws and padlike empodium, each bearing tenent hairs ( Fig. 17 ).

MALE: unknown.

Type material. Holotype female (1 SBUK), 3 female (2 SBUC, 1 ACASI) and 3 deutonymph paratypes (3 SBUC) ex Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin. ex Steud. (Poaceae) , IRAN: Manujan (Rozeye Eram)-Kerman Province, 27°19′ N 57°30′ E, 24 October 2010, coll. S. Farzan.

Type deposition. Holotype in SBUK, paratypes in SBUC (2 females and 2 deutonymphs) and ACASI (1 female).

Etymology. This species is named after its country ( Iran) of origin.

Differential diagnosis. Deutonymph of A. iranica and A. californica can easily be separated from A. africana based on the shorter opisthosomal setae d1 (long in A. africana and very short in Iranian species) and also the shape of the receptaculum seminis (pear shape with a short tube in A. africana ). The leg setation of the new species differs from A. africana on some segments especially on femur III (3 setae v', d, l' in A. iranica and 2 setae in A. africana ), genua I–IV 5 (d, v', v", l', l")–3(d, l', l")–2(d, l')–3(d, l', v") in A. iranica and 5–3 to 5–2 or 3–2 or 3 in A. africana ) and tarsi I (11 setae ft', pv'ζ, pv"ζ, u', u", p'ζ, p"ζ, tc', tc", ω', ω" in A. iranica and 12 setae in A. africana ). Genital shield of the new species without striations and punctations (with punctations in adults of A. africana and striations in the deutonymph of A. californica ). The A. iranica and A. africana can be separated from A. californica based on the palptarsus with six setae including three eupathidia plus three setae (7 phaneres in A. californica including 3 terminal eupathidia, 1 terminal tactile seta, 3 proximal tactile setae). The deutonymph of A. californica can easily be separated from those of A. africana and the new species in having h2 very long, but this seta is clearly shorter in A. africana and A. iranica . Also, seta d1 is shorter than the distance to e 1 in the new species and A. californica , but this seta reaches or passes e 1 in A. africana ).

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 2. Allochaetophora iranica sp. nov. (female). (1) Dorsum; (2) Venter.

FIGURE 3 – 8. Allochaetophora iranica sp. nov. (female). (3) Femur to tarsus I; (4) Femur to tarsus II; (5) Femur to tarsus II; (6) Femur to tarsus VI; (7) Palp in dorsal view; (8) Receptaculum seminis.

FIGURES 9 – 11. Allochaetophora iranica sp. nov. (deutonymph). (9) Dorsum; (10) Venter; (11) Peritreme.

FIGURES 12 – 17. Allochaetophora iranica sp. nov. (deutonymph). (12) Femur to tarsus I; (13) Femur to tarsus II; (14) Femur to tarsus III; (15) Femur to tarsus VI; (16) Palp in dorsal view; (17) Empodium VI.