Pedrocortesella callitarsus, 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 : 242-246

Pedrocortesella callitarsus n.sp.

Figs 4 D-E, 14, 15

Type material. South Australia: HOLOTYPE adult, ANIC, 8 km W. of Renmark , 34°13'S 140°41'E, berlese extraction Mallee litter, ANIC berlesate no. 251, I.C. Taplin, 14 May 1970 . PARATYPE adults. ANIC, same data as holotype, 3 adults ; AM KS43678 , same data, 2 adults ; SAMA, same data, 2 adults ; AM KS46536 , SEM stub no. S/211 (ill.), same data, 3 adults (plus 1 non-type nymph) ; AM KS46537 SEM stub no. S/218 (ill.), same data, 3 adults ; FMNH, same data, 1 adult ; CNC, same data, 1 adult .

Other material examined. South Australia: AM KS46538 , SEM stub no. S/224, 3.6 km E. of Monash , 34°14'S 140°33'E berlese extraction Mallee litter, ANIC berlesate no. 250, I.C. Taplin, 12 May 1970, 1 adult ; AM KS46560 SEM stub no. S/217, 6.4 km E. of Paruna , 34°43'S 140°48'E berlese extraction of Mallee litter, ANIC berlesate no. 240, R.W. Taylor, 8 February 1970, 1 adult ; ANIC, Parachilna Gorge, Flinders Ranges , 10 km E. of Parachilna , 31°08'S 138°25'E ANIC berlesate 740,leaf litter at base of Eucalyptus camaldulensis , A. Calder, 3 Sept. 1981, 6 adults .

Diagnosis. Body medium-large, length about 550 -700 /lm; scalps rarely (if at all) carried by adult; sensillus with long flattened tuberculate blade; notogaster reticulatealveolate around margins, punctate centrally; 5 pairs of notogastral setae, genitoanal chaetotaxy 7:1:2:3, genital setae essentially in straight file, level of insertion of seta ad3 adjacent to posterior half of anal valve; claw stalk very short.

Description

ADULT: Body: brown; length (/lm) 580, 610, 620, 670. Cerotegument: body generally with thin veneer of cerotegument; raised areas on body highlighted by a low encrustation of cerotegument ( Fig. 14D ). Setae ro and le and notogastral setae with ribbed accretion of cerotegument near base, though not as marked as P hangayi . Legs with cerotegument capping surface sculpturing, setae with striking ribbed accretions. Prodorsum: integument reticulate-foveolate at rostrum but tends to be punctate more posteriorly; no carina between le and ro; le dorsolateral, distance between them about 0.7 distance between ro, ro ventrolateral. Pedotectal tooth similar to P propinqua . Bothridium abutting notogaster but not closely adpressed ( Fig. 14F ), wall subcircular and depressed anterolaterally, posterolateral carina weak, situated close to notogaster; sensillus length about 0.8 interbothridial distance, with long flattened tuberculate blade ( Fig. 14G ), posterior margin of prodorsum forming a smooth arc between bothridia. in small, set>0.5<1.0 bothridial diameter from bothridial wall, near edge of dorsosejugal furrow, spiniform but almost entirely encased in cerotegument ( Fig. 14F,G ). Exuvial scalps: none seen. Notogaster: oval, length:width 400:320; 440:330; 440:330; 450:330. Intramarginal depression oval. Notogaster with median groove anteriorly; reticulate-alveolate around margins but punctate centrally ( Fig. 14B,D ); posterior margin slightly invaginate when viewed from above, without a carina between setae pi when viewed posteriorly ( Fig. 14C ). Fissura ia and im oblique and ip oblique-perpendicular to sagittal plane; 5 pairs of medium lengthed notogastral setae arising from large pits; hi widely separated, each located just inside posterior margin; pi inserted midheight on posterior flank, slightly further apart than hi; lpx, p2x and p3x arise just inside posterolateral flank, their insertions easily visible from above, lpx closest to fissura ip, inserted just posterior to it ( Fig. 14B ). Gnathosoma : rutella basally with strong concave flexure and weak lateral buttressing, transverse striations present (Fig. 15B,C). Pedipalp not studied. Epimeral region: strongly convex immediately anterior to genital valves, tending to overhang them. Genitoanal region: separation of anal and genital vestibules relatively narrow with deep transverse grooves and a narrow isthmus between the vestibules (Fig. 15A). Ventral plate punctate. Genitoanal chaetotaxy 7:1:2:3; genital setae essentially in straight file, gI slightly longer than other setae, inserted slightly behind anterior corner in marginal notch; g5 situated at about 0.5 valve length, g7 inserted well anterior to inner posterior corner, not in marginal notch; setae ag inserted at level posterior to g6; setae adI distinctly postanal, ad3 level with posterior half of anal valve; adI- 3 inserted in large pits. Legs. Distal apophysis of tibia overlaps about 30% of tarsus ( Fig. 4D ). Tarsal cluster of leg I placed distodorsally on apophysis, almost cerotegument, enclosed in a rim closely abutting rim for omega land 2 and sharing a common wall; fi" longer than solenidia; tarsus lacking distal recess for receiving retracted unguinal complex, stalk very short.

Etymology. The specific epithet means "beautiful tarsus".

Distribution. South Australia.

Figures

Fig. 4. Pedrocortesella spp. Leg I structures. A--C: Pedrocortesella anica n.sp. A, genu, tibia and tarsus, antiaxial; B, detail tarsus, distal; C, tibia (distal) and tarsus, dorsal. D,E: Pedrocortesella callitarsus n.sp. D, genu, tibia and tarsus, antiaxial; E, tarsal cluster, detail. Scale bars: A,D 50 fJm; B,C,E = 10 fJm. A-C = Canberra; D,E = Mount Gingera.

Fig. 14. Pedrocortesella callitarsus n.sp. A, body, dorsal; B, notogaster, posterior, dorsal, arrows right to left label setae hI, lpx, p2x, p3x; C, notogastral setae hI and pI, posterior view; D, notogastral integument, fissura im and seta p3; E, prodorsum, dorsal; F, bothridium and seta in, dorsal; G, bothridium, sensillus and seta in, lateral. Scale bars: A,B,E = 100!lm; D,G = 50!lm; C,F = 20!lm.