Aboriginesia ludmilae, Kováčik & Kalúz, 2010

Kováčik, Ján & Kalúz, Stanislav, 2010, Two new chigger mites of the genus Aboriginesia (Acari: Trombiculidae), Zootaxa 2554 (1), pp. 23-36 : 24-28

Aboriginesia ludmilae , new species

Description: Larva. SIF = 7BS-B-3-3-1-1-1-1-0-0-0; fsp=7-7-7; fPp = B-B-N.N.B; Ga = B; fCx = 1-2-1; fSt = 2-4; Numbers of dorsal and ventral setae (holotype-minimal-mean-maximal-standard deviation)(n = 12): DS = 66-62-68-70-2,64; VS = 50-45-52-63-6; NDV = 116-114-122-130-5,38; fDS = 4H-8(12)-6(8)-10(13)- 6(7)-8(12)-10(10)-6(6)-2(2)-2(2) = 62-76;

Dorsum ( Fig. 1 ). Scutum anteriorly and laterally subquadrate, posteriorly semirounded, slightly wider than long, with AL, AM, PL, PPL and two sensillae. Small scutal puncta cover prevailing part of scutum. Sensilla ciliated, with 7–12 short lateral cilia situated in second half of sensilla. Oval eyes (2 + 2) in ocular plates, eyes laterally at the level of PL. Humeral setae 51–60 µm long, dorsal anterior 37–48 and posterior setae 37–49 µm long, thickly ciliated, dorsal setae arranged in irregular rows, rows varying in number and in the position of setae.

Scutum. ( Tab. 1). PL>AM>AL; SB=ASB=PSB(mean values); SD<AW<PW; SB situated at the level of P- PL and slightly anteriorly or at the level of PL setae.

Venter ( Fig. 2 ). Three pairs of sternal setae, two posterior between coxae III. Second coxa with 2 setae, arranged in tandem to posterior margin of coxa. Ventral side generally with 45–63 irregularly arranged thickly ciliated setae. Anterior setae shorter than caudal ones. Lengths of ventral setae vary and increase from anterior

(34–40) to median (33–48) and posterior (43–48) setae.

Gnathosoma ( Fig. 3 ). Galeala barbed. Palps 66–78 long, slender palpotibial claw 20–32 long, with 3

deeply indented prongs. Chelicera of stout and hooked contour, anteriorly with tricuspid cap and three convexities in basal part.

Legs ( Figs. 4–5 ). With pretarsus, claws and normal empodia. Setae on legs ciliated, slender, relatively short. Specialized setae on leg segments: Leg I - S 1, f 1, (PT´, ST, pST) = N, 2 tibialae, 1 microtibiala, 3 genualae, 1 microgenuala; Leg II - S 2, f 2, PT´´= N, 2 tibialae, 1 genuala; Leg III - 1 mastitarsala, 1 tibiala, 1 genuala. Number of plumose setae on leg segments (leg formula): Leg I: Cx (1) - Tr (1) - Bf (1) - Tf (5) - G (4) - Ti (6) - Ta (22); Leg II: Cx (2) - Tr (1) - Bf (4) - Tf (3) - G (6) - Ti (6) - Ta (17); Leg III: Cx (1) - Tr (1) - Bf (2) - Tf (3) - G (3) - Ti (6) - Ta (13); Leg measurements are presented in Table 2.

Differential diagnosis: Aboriginesia ludmilae sp. n. belongs to the species with 3 genualae I and fCx = 1- 2-1. Until recently one other described species, Aboriginesia montana (Kudryashova) , had these two features and differs from A. ludmilae sp. n. by having Ga = N and fSt = 2-2, while A. ludmilae sp. n. has fSt = 2-4 and Ga = B. Two other close species are Aboriginesia armata (Schluger & Bibikova) and A. tokobajevi (Hushcha & Kharadov) . These species differ from A. ludmilae sp. n. in having the coxal formula fCx = 1-1-2 and PPL setae situated between the scutum and ocular plate, and completely barbed palpal segments fPp = B-B-B.B.B, while A. ludmilae sp. n. has PPL setae on the scutum, fCx = 1-2-1 and fPp = B-B-N.N.B.

Material studied. Holotype: 1 larva, Alpes Mts , Switzerland, Kanton district, collected from small rodents during the years 1970-75, more detailed collecting data unavailable . Paratypes: 25 larvae, Alpes Mts , Switzerland, Kanton district, collected from small rodents during the years 1970-75, more detailed collecting data unavailable . Holotype (accession number SZ 6940) and 10 paratypes (SZ 6941) are deposited in Slovak National Museum , Bratislava, Slovakia. Remaining paratypes are deposited in the collections of authors .

Etymology: The species is named after Mrs. Ludmila Kováciková, the wife of the senior author, who helped the authors during the elaboration and study of chiggers.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Aboriginesia ludmilae sp. n. –– idiosoma dorsal.

FIGURE 2. Aboriginesia ludmilae sp. n. –– idiosoma ventral.

FIGURE 3. Aboriginesia ludmilae sp. n. –– chelicera, palps (A—ventral, B—dorsal).

FIGURE 4. Aboriginesia ludmilae sp. n. –– legs I – III (dorsal).

FIGURE 5. Aboriginesia ludmilae sp. n. –– legs I – III (ventral).