Pedrocortesella kanangra, Hunt, 1996

Hunt, Glenn S., 1996, A review of the genus Hexachaetoniella Paschoal in Australia (Acarina: Cryptostigmata: Pedrocortesellidae), Records of the Australian Museum 48 (3), pp. 223-286 : 262-264

Pedrocortesella kanangra n.sp.

Figs 29 , 30

Type material. New South Wales: HOLOTYPE adult, ANIC, Echo Head Falls, Kanangra-Boyd National Park , 33°59'S 150°06'E, 950 m, ANIC berlesate 856, berlese extraction leaf litter near creek, L. Hill, 3 October 1982 . PARATYPE adults. AM KS43691 , same data as holotype, 1 adult ; AM KS46554 SEM stub no. S1240 (ill.), same data, 2 adults ; AM KS46555 SEM stub no. S1242 (ill.), same data, 4 adults ; AM KS46556 SEM stub no. S/402 (ill.) same data, 1 adult .

Diagnosis. Body small-medium, length about 400-450 /lm; scalps rarely (if at all) carried by adult; sensillus long flattened tuberculate blade; notogaster reticulatealveolate, centrally with raised and depressed areas; 6 pairs of notogastral setae, 5 pairs close to posterolateral margin, one mesal pair lower on posterior flank; genitoanal chaetotaxy 6:1:2:3, genital setae in slightly arcuate file, insertion of seta ad3 near posterior margin of anal valve; leg femora with very strong ventral crest; claw stalk moderately long.

Description

ADULT: Body: brown; length 4lO /lm. Cerotegument: body with cerotegument reflecting underlying reticulate pattern of integument, hollowed areas of notogaster tend to have cushions of cerotegument on the reticulations, higher areas continuos crests. Setae ro and le with thick reticulated crust of cerotegument especially at base (Fig. 30A,C), notogastral setae thickly covered ( Fig. 29E ). Prodorsum: integument reticulate, carina between le and ro absent; le dorsolateral, distance between them about 0.8 distance between ra, not arising from large pit, ro ventrolateral. Pedotectal tooth similar to P propinqua . Bothridium tightly adpressed to notogaster ( Fig. 29D ), wall triangular in dorsal view, strongly depressed posteriorly, posterolateral carina moderately strong, abutting notogaster; sensillus length subequal to interbothridial distance, with long flattened tuberculate blade ( Fig. 29C ), posterior margin ofprodorsum forming a smooth arc between bothridia. in small, set close bothridial wall, at edge of dorsosejugal furrow, spiniform ( Fig. 29C,D ). Exuvial scalps: none seen. Notogaster: oval, length:width 310:250. Intramarginal depression oval. Notogaster centrally with raised areas in form of a "Cross of Lorraine" ( Fig. 29A ), reticulate-alveolate, not perforated by pores ( Fig. 29A,F ); posterior margin not invaginate when viewed from above; without carina between setae pi when viewed posteriorly ( Fig. 29E ). Fissura ia and ip subparallel, im perpendicular to sagittal plane; 6 pairs of notogastral setae arising from small pits, hi moderately close, each located just inside posterior margin; pi with similar spacing to hi; Ipx, p2x' p3x and lm arise just inside posterolateral flank, their insertions visible from above, Ipx closest to fissura ip, inserted lateral to it ( Fig. 29F ). Gnathosoma : pedipalp not studied. Epimeral region: strongly convex a small distance anterior to genital valves and not tending to overhang them. Genitoanal region: reticulate-alveolate. Separation of anal and genital vestibules broad with little or no interruption ofventral plate microsculpture between the vestibules (Fig. 30F). Genitoanal chaetotaxy 6:1:2:3; genital setae in arcuate file, most posterior inserted anterior to inner posterior corner, not in marginal notch (Fig. 30F), seta ag at about level of g6; seta ad1 distinctly postanal, ad2 -3 arranged around posterior margin of anal valves. Legs. Leg femora with very strong ventral crest giving femur almost circular appearance in lateral view (Fig. 30D); tibia I apophysis very strong (Fig. 30C), overhangs about 40% of tarsus. Tarsal cluster of leg I placed distodorsally on apophysis, well proximodorsal to setae te; ft", omega 1 and 2 enclosed in common rim which is produced into a distal lip (Fig. 30C,E), no partition separating ft" from omega 1 and 2; setae including solenidia with encrusting cerotegument at base; tarsus without distal recess for receiving retracted unguinal complex, stalk moderately long.

Comments. This species appears to be closely related to P conundrum but differs in the distribution of notogastral setae, the pattern of raised areas on the notogaster, in details of leg structure and in the form of cerotegument on the legs. This species is tentatively placed in Pedrocortesella .

Etymology. The specific epithet is a noun in apposition referring to Kanangra Walls, located near the type locality.

Distribution. Known only from the type locality III south-eastern New South Wales.

Figures

Fig. 29. Pedrocortesella kanangra n.sp. A, body, dorsal; B, body, lateral; C, bothridium, sensillus and seta in, lateral; D, bothridium and seta in, dorsal; E, notogastral setae hI, pI, and lpI, posterior view; F, notogaster, posterior, dorsal, arrows left to right label setae hI, pI, lpxo p2x, p3x' lrn. Scale bars: A,B = 100 /lm; F 50 /lm; C-E = 20 /lm.