Imparipes woodi Mahunka, 1974

Khaustov, Alexander A. & Minor, Maria A., 2018, New species and a new record of the mite family Scutacaridae (Acari: Heterostigmata) from alpine New Zealand, Zootaxa 4508 (4), pp. 507-550 : 508-513

Imparipes woodi Mahunka, 1974

( Figs 1–6 )

Imparipes woodi Mahunka, 1974, p. 98 , Figs 2 (A–D).

Redescription. FEMALE ( Figs 1–6 ). Length of idiosoma 210–245, width 175–190.

Gnathosoma ( Fig. 2 ). Gnathosoma completely covered by tergite C. Length of gnathosoma 26–28, width 19– 21. Gnathosomal capsule with dorsal median apodeme. Cheliceral setae weakly barbed, pointed. Setae cha 14–16 subequal to chb 15–17. Postpalpal setae short, needle-like, situated anterolaterally to bases of setae cha. Setae dFe and dGe smooth, pointed; dGe distinctly longer than dFe. Subcapitular setae m 9–10 smooth, pointed. Pits n located in posterior half of subcapitulum. Accessory setigenous structure (ass) and palpal solenidion well developed. Palptibia with distinct tibial claw distally. Pharyngeal pumps joined together; pump 1 short, butterflylike, striated, pump 2 large, oval, with weak striation; pump 3 oval, smooth, almost 1.5 times shorter than pump 2.

Idiosomal dorsum ( Figs 1A , 5A , 6A, B ). All dorsal shields with very small round dimples ( Figs 6A, B ). Free margins of tergite C with delicate longitudinal striation typical for the family (not illustrated on Fig. 1A ). Prodorsum covered by tergite C. Setae v 2 and sc 2 smooth and blunt-ended, other dorsal setae barbed and pointed. Stigmata elongate-oval. Trichobothria with long stem, clavate, sparsely barbed, with rounded apex. Lateral propodosomal spine well developed ( Fig. 2C ). Cupules ia on tergite D and ih on tergite H small, round. Tergite C with a pair of small pore-like structures located medially to setae c 1; tergite EF with two pairs of small pore-like structures located anteromedially to setae f. Alveolar canal of setae c 2 very short, almost invisible. Lengths of dorsal setae: v 2 8–10, sc 2 12–14, c 1 42–49, c 2 52–64, d 50–59, e 38–42, f 71–81, h 1 62–66, h 2 27–34. Distances between setae: v 2 –v 2 45 –49, sc 2 –sc 2 40–45, c 1 – c 1 47–53, c 1 – c 2 38–42, d–d 125–140, e–f 22–27, f–f 94–100, h 1 – h 1 67–71, h 1 – h 2 17–21.

Idiosomal venter ( Figs 1B , 5B , 6C, D ). Ventral plates with very small dimples as on dorsal shields ( Figs 6C, D ). Setae 2 b blunt-ended, thickened, other ventral setae pointed. Setae 2 b, 4 a, ps 2 and ps 3 smooth; setae 4 b weakly barbed; other ventral setae sparsely barbed. Posterior margin of aggenital plate rounded. Secondary transverse apodeme absent. Apodemes 1 (ap1) apodemes 2 (ap2) and sejugal apodeme (apsej) well developed and joined with prosternal apodeme (appr); apodemes 3 absent, apodemes 4 (ap4) short; ap5 absent. Anterior genital sclerite (ags) small, triangular; posterior genital sclerite (pgs) large, triangular. Lengths of ventral setae: 1 a 33–40, 1 b 25–32, 2 a 27–33, 2 b 20–23, 3 a 35–44, 3 b 42–51, 3 c 39–45, 4 a 20–25, 4 b 53–58, 4 c 47–56, ps 1 18–20, ps 2 8–11, ps 3 11–15.

Legs ( Figs 3 , 4 ). Leg I ( Fig. 3A ). Leg setation: Tr 1, Fe 3, Ge 4, TiTa 16(4). Tibiotarsus with small attenuated claw. Tibiotarsus not thickened, with pinnaculum bearing eupathidia tc” and ft”. Lengths of solenidia ω 1 10–14, ω 2 6–7, φ 1 9–10, φ 2 6–8; all solenidia finger-shaped. Setae v’ of trochanter, d, v” of femur, and l’ of genu blunt-ended; other leg setae (except eupathidia) pointed. Setae v’ of trochanter, l’ and v” of femur smooth; other leg setae (except eupathidia) barbed. Leg II ( Fig. 3B ). Leg setation: Tr 1, Fe 3, Ge 3, Ti 4(1), Ta 6(1). Tarsus with symmetrical padded claws and flipper-like empodium. Solenidion ω 10–13 finger-shaped, solenidion φ 4–6 weakly clavate. Seta tc” of tarsus smooth, other leg setae barbed. Setae d, l’ and v” of femur blunt-ended, other leg setae pointed. Leg III ( Fig. 4A ). Leg setation: Tr 1, Fe 2, Ge 2, Ti 4(1), Ta 6. Claws and empodium as on tarsus II. Solenidion φ 5–6 weakly clavate. Seta tc” of tarsus smooth, other leg setae barbed. All leg setae pointed. Leg IV ( Fig. 4B ). Leg setation: Tr 1, Fe 2, Ge 1, Ti 3(1), Ta 6. Tarsus with thin claws and small stalked empodium. Solenidion φ 4–6 weakly clavate. Seta pl” of tarsus smooth and pointed; seta u’ 4–5 of tarsus smooth and bluntended; other leg setae barbed and pointed. Length of tarsus 18–21, length of pretarsus 16–19.

MALE and LARVA unknown.

Material examined. 1 female, New Zealand, Central Otago, Old Man’s Range , 45° 18' 58.45"S, 169° 11' 45.21"E, 1646 m a.s.l., in bare soil between cushion plants, 17 February 2014 (M. Minor) ; 134 females, New Zealand, Central Otago, Old Man’s Range , 45° 18' 59.85"S, 169° 11' 45.19"E, 1639 m a.s.l., alpine herbaceous snowbank, in soil, 17 February 2014 (M. Minor) ; 8 females, New Zealand, Central Otago, The Remarkables , 45° 3' 37.88"S, 168° 48' 43.50"E, 1867 m a.s.l., in bare soil between cushion plants, 19 February 2014 (M. Minor) ; 23 females, New Zealand, Central Otago, Old Man’s Range , 45° 20' 26.40"S, 169° 12' 50.95"E, 1614 m a.s.l., alpine herbaceous snowbank, in soil, 18 February 2014 (M. Minor) .

Remarks. Imparipes woodi was described from Australia ( Mahunka 1974). This is the first record of this species in the fauna of New Zealand. Specimens from New Zealand well fit the original description of the species, except the presence of seta pl” on tarsus IV. However, this seta is very small, thin and difficult to see. We consider the absence of seta pl” on tarsus IV in the original description an omission.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Imparipes woodi Mahunka, 1974, female: A—dorsum of the body, B—venter of the body. Legs omitted.

FIGURE 2. Imparipes woodi Mahunka, 1974, female: A—gnathosoma in dorsal view, B—gnathosoma and pharyngeal pumps in ventral view, C—prodorsal setae.

FIGURE 3. Imparipes woodi Mahunka, 1974, female: A—right leg I in dorsal view, B—right leg II in dorsal view.

FIGURE 4. Imparipes woodi Mahunka, 1974, female: A—right leg III in dorsal view, B—right leg IV in dorsal view.

FIGURE 5. DIC micrograph of Imparipes woodi Mahunka, 1974, female: A –dorsal view, B—ventral view.

FIGURE 6. DIC micrograph of Imparipes woodi Mahunka, 1974, female: A—right part of tergites C and D, B—central part of tergites EF and H, C—anterior half of the body in ventral view, D—posterior half of the body in ventral view.