Sperchon (Sperchon) ayyildizi, Esen, Yunus, Pešić, Vladimir & Erman, Orhan, 2010

Esen, Yunus, Pešić, Vladimir & Erman, Orhan, 2010, Water mites of the genus Sperchon Kramer (Acari: Hydrachnidia: Sperchontidae) from Turkey, with description of two new species, Zootaxa 2514, pp. 35-46 : 41-45

Sperchon (Sperchon) ayyildizi sp. nov.

( Figs. 4A –F, 5A–C)

Material examined: Holotype: male, dissected and slide mounted in Hoyer’s fluid, Turkey: Bingöl Province, Karlıova, Bingöl Mountains, spring, 39°21'18"N 41°08'29"E, 3000 m asl., 0 4.08.2005. Paratypes: (16/72/0), same data as holotype. Other material: (0/0/9), same data as holotype.

Diagnosis: Integument ventrally and dorsally rugose. All glandularia encircled by a plate. Cx-I+II medially not fused, Cx-3 with glandularia. Excretory pore smooth. Capitulum with short rostrum; ventral margin of P-3 with a light central thickening bearing one thick lateral seta; P-4 longer than P-3, with two ventral tubercles bearing peg-like setae, proximal tubercle slightly larger than the distal one, area between peg-like setae subdivides ventral margin into 3 equal parts in the male and the median part shorter than distal and proximal parts in female.

Description. Integument dorsally and ventrally rugose, with flat papillae of various form and size; muscle attachment plates unsclerotized, all glandularia on extended platelets ( Fig. 4B ). Cx-I+II medially close to each other, but not fused; Cx-III with a medial glandular opening (Cxgl-4). Ac-1-2 longish, Ac-3 roundish. Excretory pore smooth. Capitulum with rostrum shorter than gnathosomal base ( Fig. 5B ); palp: P-1 with a dorsal seta; P-2 with short distoventral projection, at its tip bearing two fine setae, near base of projection there is thick seta which is slightly longer than the projection; ventral margin of P-3 with a gentle central thickening bearing one thick lateral seta; P-4 longer than P-3, with two ventral tubercles, bearing peg-like setae, proximal tubercle slightly larger than distal, area between peg-like setae subdivides ventral margin into 3 equal parts in the male and the median part shorter than distal and proximal parts in female. Leg segments slender, III/IV-L with a few short, not plumose dorsal setae, ambulacrum with claw blade well protruding, bearing a long dorsal and a shorter ventral clawlet.

Male (holotype, in parentheses measurements of paratypes): Idiosoma L 1038 (963–1100), W 886 (722– 850); distance between anterior end of Cx-I and posterior end of Cx-IV 498. Genital field (except pregenital sclerite) L/W 200/186, genital valves L 191, pregenital sclerite rounded; L Ac- 1-3 68, 76, 42. Capitulum L 236 (228); chelicera L 319 (331), basal segment 246 (244–247), claw 73 (81–85), ratio chelicerae basal segment/claw 3.36 (2.87–3.05); palp: total L 735 (701–734), dL: P-1, 44 (44); P-2, 151 (142–147); P-3, 210 (204–209); P-4, 274 (256–279); P-5, 56 (55); %L: P-1, 5.9 (6.0–6.3); P-2, 20.5 (20.0–20.3); P-3, 28.6 (28.5– 29.1); P-4, 37.3 (36.5–38.0); P-5, 7.6 (7.5–7.9); P-2/P-4 ratio 0.55 (0.53–0.56). Leg segments L: I-Leg-3–6: 163, 254, 268, 239; IV-Leg-1-6: 166, 207, 173, 341, 318, 277.

Female (n=2): Idiosoma L 1190–1300, W 972–1006; distance between anterior end of Cx-I and posterior end of Cx-IV 578–619. Genital field (including pregenital sclerite) L/W 297–306/193–200, genital valves L 239–261, pregenital sclerite forming an acute triangle; L Ac- 1-3 88, 87, 50. Capitulum L 275–283; chelicera L 371–374, basal segment 294, claw 80, ratio chelicerae basal segment/claw 3.67; palp: total L 866, dL and %L (in parentheses): P-1, 52–58 (6.0); P-2, 169–181 (20.9); P-3, 233–248 (28.6); P-4, 322–325 (37.5); P-5, 60–61 (6.9); P-2/P-4 ratio 0.53–0.55. Leg segments L: I-Leg-3-6: 170, 252–256, 256–268, 230–244; IV-Leg- 3–6: 202–209, 397–418, 378–400, 310–322.

Deutonymph: The nymphs collected together with the adults are provisionally assigned to the new species. Idiosoma L/W 756/547; distance between anterior end of Cx-I and posterior end of Cx-IV 300. Provisional genital field with two pairs of Ac, L/W 78/90. Capitulum L 131, chelicera L 170; palp: total L 373, dL (%L in parentheses): P-1, 27 (7.2); P-2, 77 (20.6); P-3, 103 (27.6); P-4, 133 (35.7); P-5, 33 (8.9); P-2/P-4 ratio 0.58; P-3 ventrally without a seta; P-4 with well developed tubercle bearing peg-like seta, located in proximal part of the segment.

Etymology: The species is named in honor Prof. Dr. Nusret Ayyıldız in appreciation of his studies of Turkish mites.

Discussion: Due to the rugose integument, Cx-I medially separated, Cx-III with a medial glandularium, gnathosomal rostrum, shorter than gnathosomal base, more elongate and pointed, P-2 with a short ventrodistal projection and excretory pore not surrounded by a sclerotized ring, the new species is most similar to Sperchon thienemanni Koenike, 1907 , from which it differs in the presence of one thick lateral seta on ventral margin of P-3.

Variability: In females, we found variability (often in the same specimen) in P-3 bearing two ventral setae, situated side by side, the medial one slightly further from the ventral edge of the segment. Distribution: Known only from the type locality in Bingöl Province, Turkey.

Figures

FIGURE 4 A – E. Sperchon tarnogradskii (A – C = male, D – E = female): A = idiosoma, ventral view; B = palp, lateral view; C = palp, medial view; D = palp, medial view; E = chelicera. Scale bars = 100 μm.

FIGURE 5 A – F. Sperchon ayyildizi sp. nov., male: A = idiosoma, ventral view, B = idiosoma, dorsal view, C = chelicera, D = palp, medial view, E = palp, lateral view, F = IV-Leg- 4 – 6. Scale bars = 100 μm.