Pedrocortesella conundrum, 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 : 249-251

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.3853/j.0067-1975.48.1996.431
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4659185
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/0387B964-397B-FFCA-FE4C-F4A2FA1EFC5E
treatment provided by	Felipe
scientific name	Pedrocortesella conundrum
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Pedrocortesella conundrum View in CoL n.sp.

Figs 18 View Fig , 19 View Fig

Type material. New South Wales: HOLOTYPE adult, AM KS SEM stub no. S/296, Allyn River Park near crossing of Allyn River, N. of Salisbury , 32°10'S 151°30'E, subtropical rainforest, berlesate bark scraped from trees, G.S.Hunt, 5 October 1993 GoogleMaps . PARATYPE adult, AM KS SEM stub no. 419, same data GoogleMaps .

Other material examined. Graham Osier, a PhD student at Macquarie University, has recently sampled this species from soil beneath the litter layer in forest near Taree, New South Wales (Osier, pers. comm., 1996).

Diagnosis. Body small-medium, length about 400-450 Ilm; scalps rarely (if at all) carried by adult; sensillus long flattened tuberculate blade; notogaster reticulatealveolate, 6 pairs of notogastral setae, 4 pairs posterior to fissura ip, seta p2 at same level on posterior flank as pI, p3 at higher level on posterolateral flank to p2 but not situated dorsally, genitoanal chaetotaxy 6:I:2-3:2 -3, genital setae in straight file, insertion of seta ad3 adjacent to posterior 50% of anal valve; claw stalk long.

Description

ADULT: Body: brown; length 400 Ilm, 430 Ilm. Cerotegument: body with cerotegument tubercles and granules highlighting reticulations; alveoli with fewer and smaller granules (Fig. ISE,F). Setae ro and le and notogastral setae entirely covered by thick deposit (Fig. lSC,D). Prodorsum: integument reticulate-foveate, carina between le and ro absent; le dorsolateral, distance between them about 0.6 distance between ra, not arising from large pit, ro ventrolateral, its insertion barely seen from above. Pedotectal tooth as in Fig. lSA,B. Bothridium abutting notogaster but not tightly adpressed (Fig. ISA,B), wall subcircular in dorsal view, slightly depressed posteriorly and anteriorly, posterolateral carina very strong, abutting notogaster (Fig. lSG); sensillus length subequal to interbothridial distance, with long flattened tuberculate blade (Fig. lSA,G), posterior margin of prodorsum forming a smooth arc between bothridia. in small, set close bothridial wall just inside edge of dorsosejugal furrow, spiniform (Fig. ISA,G). Exuvial scalps: none seen. Notogaster: oval, length:width 290:210, 300:220. Intramarginal depression oval, interrupted posteriorly. Notogaster centrally with raised area slightly depressed mesally in both specimens (possibly an artefact) (Fig. ISA), reticulate-alveolate, not perforated by pores (Fig. ISA,F); posterior margin not invaginate when viewed from above; without carina between setae pi when viewed posteriorly (Fig. ISD). Fissura ia subparallel, im and ip oblique to sagittal plane; 6 pairs of notogastral setae arising from small pits, hi widely separated, each located well inside posterior margin; pi with similar spacing to hi; p2 at same level on posterior flank as pi, p3 higher on posterolateral flank but still not dorsal; lp on posterodorsal flank close to fissura ip and inserted posterior to it (Fig. lSE), and Im lying dorsally well inside the lateral margin and anterior to fissura ip. Gnathosoma : rutella basally with weak concave flexure and moderate lateral buttressing, pointed mesad processes and transverse striations absent ( Fig. 19B View Fig ). Pedipalp tarsus with setae (vt), cm and I" smooth; apophysis supporting seta acm low; solenidion omega reaching to base of acm ( Fig. 19F View Fig ). Genitoanal region: reticulatefoveate. Separation of anal and genital vestibules broad with little or no interruption of ventral plate microsculpture between the vestibules ( Fig. 19A View Fig ). Genitoanal chaetotaxy 6:1:2-3:2-3; genital setae in arcuate file, most posterior inserted anterior to inner posterior corner, not in marginal notch, seta ag at level between g5 and g6; seta adi barely postanal, ad2-3 arranged around posterior margin of anal valves ( Fig. 19A View Fig ). Legs. Cerotegument in form of tubercles, not in reticular pattern ( Fig. 19D View Fig ); tibia I apophysis very strong ( Fig. 19C View Fig ), overhangs about 40% of tarsus. Setafi" completely cloaked in cerotegument, not placed on distinct apophysis or in common rim with solenidia ( Fig. 19C,D View Fig ); stalk long, lateral claws much weaker than central ( Fig. 19E View Fig ).

Variation. One specimen from the type locality has two pairs of anal setae, the other has three anal setae on the left side and an unknown number on the right side.

Comments. This species resembles P kanangra in the following characters: the presence of six pairs of notogastral setae; in the wide separation of anal and genital vestibules with little interruption to continuity of ventral plate ornamentation; the reticulate-alveolate pattern on the notogaster; the presence of six pairs of genital setae; and the presence of strong ventral keels on leg femora. It differs in the arrangement of notogastral setae, the structure of tarsus I and the slender lateral claws on the legs. The disposition of notogastral setae in P conundrum is somewhat intermediate between other Pedrocortesella species (Fig. ID), and the condition in Pheroliodes , which most closely resembles the nymphal arrangement of setae pi to p3 ( Fig. 1 C View Fig ). In P conundrum , seta p2 remains with pi but p3 appears to have partly migrated towards the dorsal surface. Like P kanangra , this species is tentatively placed in Pedrocortesella .

Etymology. The specific epithet is a noun in apposition referring to the doubtful generic status of this species and the puzzling mix of generic characters.

Distribution. Barrington Tops and Taree districts, New South Wales