Neodectes ophioglossus, Mironov & Proctor, 2023

Mironov, Sergey V. & Proctor, Heather C., 2023, New feather mites of the genus Neodectes (Acariformes: Proctophyllodidae) from honeyeaters (Passeriformes: Meliphagidae) in Australia, Zootaxa 5330 (3), pp. 349-374 : 368-373

Neodectes ophioglossus sp. n.

( Figs. 12–14 )

Type material. Male holotype, 5 male and 2 female paratypes from Conopophila rufogularis (Gould, 1843) ( Passeriformes : Meliphagidae ) from 8 birds from the following localities: AUSTRALIA, Western Australia — Gogo Station, No. 2 Outcamp , 18°29’00”S, 125°45’00”E, 6 July 1975, coll. W.H. Butler, ( WAM, A13984 ); Kimbolton Station, Kimbolton Spring , 16°38’00”S, 123°43’00”E, 28Aug. 1975, coll. W.H. Butler, ( WAM, A14302 ); Wyndham , 15°28’00”S, 128°06’00”E 14Oct.1982, coll. R.E. Johnstone,( WAM, A17823 ); Broome Bird Observatory , 17°58’1”S, 122°13’58”E, 1 Jan. 1999,coll. C. Hassell, ( WAM, A27050 ); Mimbi Creek , 18°43’58”S, 126°3’0”E, 5 Sep. 1996, coll. R.E Johnstone and N. Kolichis, ( WAM, A27530 ); Parry Lagoon; North End , 15°34’1”S, 128°19’58”E, 10 March 2000, coll. R.E Johnstone and N. Kolichis, ( WAM, A27610 ; A27611 ); Dunham River Crossing, 16°11’00”S, 128°14’00”E, 12 Feb.1997, coll. “ Ecologia ”, ( WAM, A34629 ).

Depository. Holotype ( T161005 ), 2 male and 4 female paratypes ( T161006 , T161007 )— WAM, 1 male paratype — ZISP.

Additional material. 4 male and 5 female ( WAM, T161004 ) from Lichmera indistincta (Vigors & Horsfield, 1827) ( Passeriformes : Meliphagidae ), ( WAM, A 27948 ), AUSTRALIA, Western Australia, Secure Bay , 16°28’55”S, 124°19’05”E, 12 March 2001, coll. R.A. How .

Description. MALE (holotype, range for 5 paratypes in parentheses) ( Figs. 12 , 14 ). Idiosoma, length × width, 375 (375–380) × 150 (135–160), length of hysterosoma 250 (240–255). Prodorsal shield: entire, anterior margin with small triangular extension, anterolateral acute with subapical ledge, lateral margins slightly concave at level of scapular setae, posterior margin straight, posterior corners rounded, surface without ornamentation, length 120 (120– 130), width 115 (115–125). Setae ve rudimentary, represented by alveoli. Bases of scapular setae se separated by 55 (55–60). Scapular shields narrow. Humeral shields absent. Bases of setae cp and c2 situated on striated tegument. Subhumeral setae c3 lanceolate, 28 (25–28) long, about 7 wide. Hysteronotal shield: anterior margin concave (as short blunt angle or shallow concavity), greatest length 240 (240–250), width at anterior margin 105 (105–110), surface without ornamentation. Distance between prodorsal and hysteronotal shields 35 (20–30). Opisthosoma enlarged posteriorly, margins of lateral extensions convex and flattened, with lateral membranes stretching to lobar apices; in most mounted specimens, these lateral extensions turned ventrally and lateral margins of opisthosoma looks straight ( Figs. 12A , 14A, B ). Opisthosomal lobes roughly trapezoidal, approximately half as long as wide at base, without extensions at bases h2 and h3. Terminal cleft shaped as wide triangle with rounded anterior end, 25 (25–30) long. Supranal concavity ovate, poorly expressed. Setae f2 absent. Setae h1 situated at level of anterior end of supranal concavity. Setae h3 with bifurcate apical part, 43 (35–43) long; setae ps2 40 (28–35) long. Setae ps1 short filiform, about 8 long, situated on inner margins of opisthosomal lobes anterior to level of setae h2. Distances between dorsal setae: c2:d2 90 (90–95), d2:e2 97 (88–95), e2:h3 48 (42–52), d1:d2 20 (20–27), e1:e2 23 (20–25), h1:h2 35 (27–38), ps1:h2 7 (7–8), h2:h2 70 (70–72), h3:h3 50 (50–55), ps2:ps2 65 (60–65).

Epimerites I fused into a Y with stem about 1/3 the total length of epimerites, its posterior end connected to epimerites II with transverse sclerotized bands. Coxal fields I, II without extensively sclerotized areas. Rudimentary sclerites rEpIIa absent. Coxal fields I, III closed; coxal fields II open. Epimerites IV with triangular sclerotized areas partly flanking bases of trochanters IV. Epimerites IVa long, bearing setae 4a on inner ends. Genital arch strongly reduced, represented by weakly sclerotized extension at base of aedeagus, width of arch 25 (20–27); aedeagus sword-shaped, 87 (87–92) long, extending to midlevel of adanal suckers or slightly beyond; basal sclerite of genital apparatus U-shaped ( Fig. 14A, B ). Genital papillae not connected at bases. Genital shields absent. Adanal suckers 23 (19–23) in diameter; corolla with 11–12 small acute denticles; surrounding membrane ovate, with sparse longitudinal striae, strongly elongated posteriorly and stretching in terminal cleft. Opisthoventral shields not developed. Adanal shields shaped as oblique triangles touching at their anterior angles. Setae 4b at level of setae 3a or slightly posterior; setae ps3 on adanal shields near their anterior margins. Distance between ventral setae: 3a:4b 5 (5–10), 4b:4a 50 (50–52), 4a:g 48 (40–50), g:ps3 25 (22–25), ps3:ps3 23 (18–28), ps3:h3 58 (55–63).

Femora I, II with narrow ventral crests, other segments of legs I, II without processes ( Figs. 14C, D ). Solenidion σ of genu I about 2/3 the length of this segment and situated closer to its base. Genual setae cG I, II and mG I filiform, setae mG II slightly thickened. Setae d of tarsi II, III approximately half as long as corresponding setae f. Solenidion φ of tibia IV extending to midlength of ambulacral disc. Tarsus IV 28 (25–28) long, without apical process; setae d, e button-like, seta d situated in proximal half of this segment ( Fig. 14F ). Length of solenidia: ω1 I 15 (13–15), ω1 II 8 (7–8), σ I 13 (10–13), σ III 8 (6–8), φ IV 28 (25–28).

FEMALE (range for 2 paratypes) ( Fig. 13 , 14G ). Idiosoma, length × width, 490–505 × 165–195, length of hysterosoma 330–345. Prodorsal shield: entire, anterior margin with small triangular extension, anterolateral extensions pointed with subapical ledge, lateral margins slightly concave at level of scapular setae, posterior margin with a pair of shallow concavities, posterior corners slightly attenuate, surface without ornamentation, length 140– 145, width 125–130. Setae ve rudimentary, represented by alveoli. Bases of setae se separated by 65–70. Scapular shields narrow, not developed dorsally. Humeral shields absent. Setae cp and c2 situated on striated tegument. Setae c3 lanceolate, 20–23 long, 6–7 wide. Distance between prodorsal and hysteronotal shields 30–40. Anterior and lobar parts of hysteronotal shield separated dorsally by narrow transverse band of soft tegument, but connected ventrolaterally. Anterior hysteronotal shield nearly rectangular, anterior margin slightly concave, surfaces without ornamentation, length 235–255, width at anterior margin 115–125. Length of lobar region 92–98, greatest width 80– 83. Terminal cleft narrow, almost parallel-sided, 58–65 long, 12–18 wide posteriorly. Lobar shield entire, anterior margin convex, surface without ornamentation. Area of supranal concavity well outlined by dark-sclerotized ring near anterior margin of lobar shield. Setae h1 near anterior margin of lobar shield; setae f2 absent. Setae h2 spindle-like, with apical filament, 70–85 long. Setae ps1 situated near inner margins of opisthosomal lobes, approximately at level of setae h2. Setae h3 12–18 long, about 1/8 the length of terminal appendages. Distances between dorsal setae: c2:d2 100–120, d2:e2 110–120, e2:h2 55–58, h2:h3 32–35, d1:d2 20–30, e1:e2 50–55, h1:h2 45–54, h1:h1 36–40, h2:h2 60–65.

Epimerites I fused into a Y with stem about 1/4 the total length of epimerites. Lateral parts of coxal fields I, II without extensively sclerotized areas. Epimerites IVa absent. Translobar apodemes of opisthosomal lobes narrow and not fused to each other anterior to terminal cleft. Epigynum without lateral extensions, greatest width 65–80; apodemes of oviporus fused with epimerites IIIa. Pseudanal setae filiform, setae ps2 situated at midlevel of anal opening and widely separated from each other; distance between pseudanal setae: ps2:ps2 40–45, ps3:ps3 21–28, ps2:ps3 10–18. Primary spermaduct without enlargement at head of spermatheca; secondary spermaducts about 5 long ( Fig. 14G ). Copulatory opening immediately posterior to anal opening.

Legs I, II as in male, except ventral crest on femur I absent. Solenidion σ of genu I approximately 2/3 the length of this segment and situated at its midlevel. Genual setae cG I, II, mG I, II as in male. Setae d of tarsi II–IV half as long as corresponding setae f. Genu III, IV not inflated. Lengths of solenidia: ω1 I 17–18, ω1 II 8–10, σ I 12–18, σ III 8–12, φ III 33–37, φ IV 20–23.

Differential diagnosis. The new species N. ophioglossus sp. n. is very close to N. dicranochaetus ( Gaud, 1968) in the absence of setae f 2 in both sexes and in having, in males, the posterior end of opisthosoma widened and setae h3 bifurcate. These features clearly differentiate these two species from all other members of the genus. Neodectes ophioglossus sp. n. differs from N. dicranochaetus in having the following features: in both sexes, the prodorsal and hysteronotal shields do not have any ornamentation; in males, the prodorsal shield is entire, and the opisthosomal lobes are short, approximately half as long as wide at base. In both sexes of N dicranochaetus , the prodorsal and hysteronotal shields bear numerous circular and ovate lacunae; in males, the prodorsal shield is split at the level of scapular setae into anterior and posterior pieces, and the opisthosomal lobes are approximately as long as wide at base.

Etymology. The specific epithet is combined from ophis (snake, Gr.) and glossa (tongue, Gr.) to refer to the shape of setae h 3 in males resembling a snake’s tongue.

Figures

FIGURE 12. Neodectes ophioglossus sp. n., male. A—dorsal view, B—ventral view.

FIGURE 13. Neodectes ophioglossus sp. n., female. A—dorsal view, B—ventral view.

FIGURE 14. Neodectes ophioglossus sp. n., details. A—opisthosoma of male with folded lateral margin, ventral view, B— opisthosoma of male with one lateral extension not folded, C, D—legs I, II of male, respectively, E, F—tibiae and tarsi III, IV of male, respectively, G—spermatheca and spermaducts.