Scolotydaeus lootsi ( Theron et al., 1969 ) Khaustov, 2017

Khaustov, Alexander A., 2017, Review of the Paratydeidae (Acari: Prostigmata), with description of three new species, Zootaxa 4303 (2), pp. 151-212 : 163-168

Scolotydaeus lootsi ( Theron et al., 1969) comb. nov.

( Figs. 9–11 , 12 B–D)

Sacotydeus lootsi Theron et al., 1969 , p. 699, figs. 1–12.

Supplementary description. Original description of idiosoma of male holotype is well prepared and here I provide only supplementary description with special attention to legs and measurements of idiosomal setae.

MALE (holotype, Figs. 9–11 , 12 B, C). Gnathosoma . Palptarsus with three eupathidia. Subcapitular setae n slightly longer than m and both longer than subequal or 1-2. Idiosomal dorsum ( Fig. 12 B, C). Two pairs of eyes present; posterior eye distinctly smaller than anterior, difficult to discern ( Fig. 12 C). Hysterosoma with transverse furrows between setal rows d-e. All idiosomal setae smooth. Dorsal idiosomal setae sce, c 1, d, e, f 1, h 1 blunt-ended; other dorsal setae pointed. Idiosomal venter. Three pairs of genital acetabulae present. Third pair of genital acetabulae smaller than first and second pairs. Genital opening with 9–10 pairs of eugenital setae ( Fig. 9 ); setae eu 5 bifurcate, distinctly thicker and longer than other eugenital setae; setae eu 10 short, blunt-ended. Lengths of idiosomal setae: ve 17, sci 57, sce 33, c 1 34, c 2 69, d 25, e 19, f 1 20, f 2 59, h 1 28, h 2 54, ps 1 32, ps 2 26, ps 3 52, ad 1 27, ad 2 20, ad 3 25, 1 a broken, 1 b 23, 1 c 13, 1 d 20, 2 a 25, 2 b 30, 2 c 14, 3 a 21, 3 b 36, 3 c 26, 4 a 25, 4 b 17, ag 1 11, ag 2 15, ag 3 19, ag 4 20, ag 5 23, ag 6 16, g 1 12, g 2 11, g 1-9 8–10. Legs ( Figs. 10 , 11 ). Leg I ( Fig. 10 A). Leg setation: Tr 0, Fe 3/ 5 (d, l’, l”, v’, v”, d 1, l’ 1, bv”), Ge 7(1) (d, l’, l”, v’, v”, l’ 1, l” 1, σ), Ti 8(1) (dξ, l’ξ, l”, v’, v”, k, l’ 1, l” 1, φ), Ta 14(2) (p’ξ, p”ξ, tc’ξ, tc”ξ, ft’ξ, ft”ξ, a’, a”, u’, u”, s, pl”, pv’, pv”, ω 1, ω 2). Leg II ( Fig. 10 B). Leg setation: Tr 1 (v’), Fe 3 (d, l’, bv”), Ge 4(1) (d, l’, l”, v’, σ), Ti 4(1) (d, l’, v’, v”, φ), Ta 8(1) (p’ξ, p”, tc ’, tc”, a’, u’, u”, ε, ω). Setae (u) slightly bifurcate. Empodium very small. Leg III ( Fig. 11 A). Leg setation: Tr 1 (v’), Fe 4 (d, l’, v’, ev’), Ge 2 (l’, v’), Ti 3(1) (d, v’, v”, φ), Ta 6 (tc ’, tc”, p’, p”, u’, u”). Claws and empodium of same shape as on tarsus II. Seta (u) slightly bifurcate. Setae (tc) and (p) blunt-ended. Leg IV ( Fig. 11 B). Leg setation: Tr 0, Fe 1/2 (d, v’, ev’), Ge 3 (d, l’, v’), Ti 3 (d, v’, v”), Ta 5 (p’, p”, tc, u’, u”). Setae (u) slightly bifurcate; setae (p) and tc blunt-ended.

LARVA ( Fig. 12 D). In general similar to larva of S. uralensis sp. nov., but dorsal idiosomal setae thicker and strongly barbed ( Fig. 12 D). Gnathosoma . Similar to that of female, but subcapitulum with three pairs of setae (or 2 absent) and seta ul’ of palptarsus simple. Idiosoma ( Fig. 12 A). Hysterosomal setae thicker than in female and distinctly barbed. Lengths of idiosomal setae: ve 10, sci 50, sce 19, c 1 17, c 2 54, d 17, e 17, f 1 22, f 2 55, h 1 28, h 2 36, ps 1 15, ps 2 10, ps 3 15, 1 a 28, 1 b 13, 2 a 19, 3 a 17, 3 b 23. Legs. Leg I. Leg setation: Tr 0, Fe 7 (d, l’, l”, v’, v”, d 1, bv”), Ge 7(1) (d, l’, l”, v’, v”, l’ 1, l” 1, σ), Ti 8(1) (d, l’, l”, v’, v”, k, l’ 1, l” 1, φ), Ta 12(1) (p’ξ, p”ξ, tc’, tc”, ft’, ft”, u’, u”, s, pl”, pv’, pv”, ω 1). Setae (tc) and (ft) simple. Empodium longer than tarsal claws. Leg II. Leg setation: Tr 0, Fe 3 (d, l’, bv”), Ge 4(1) (d, l’, l”, v’, σ), Ti 4(1) (d, l’, v’, v”, φ), Ta 6(1) (p’ξ, tc ’, tc”, u’, u”, ε, ω). Empodium longer than tarsal claws. Leg III. Leg setation: Tr 0, Fe 3 (d, v’, ev’), Ge 2 (l’, v’), Ti 3(1) (d, v’, v”, φ), Ta 4 (tc ’, tc”, u’, u”). Empodium longer than tarsal claws.

PROTONYMPH. In original description described as “nymph”. The available specimen is in bad condition, but measurements of setae still possible. Gnathosoma . Similar to that of larva, but subcapitulum with four pairs of setae (or 2 added) and palptarsus with three eupathidia (ul’ eupathidion-like). Idiosoma. Idiosomal dorsum as in male. Coxal fields III with two pairs of setae (3 b, 3 c). With three pairs of adanal setae. Lengths of idiosomal setae: ve 11, sci broken, sce 20, c 1 18, c 2 58, d 17, e 17, f 1 19, f 2 50, h 1 24, h 2 36, ps 1 21, ps 2 15, ps 3 27, ad 1 10, ad 2 8, ad 3 11, 1 a broken, 1 b broken, 1 c?, 1 d 10, 2 a 19, 2 b 14, 3 a 14, 3 b 28, 3 c 18, ag 1 12. Legs. Leg I. Leg setation: Tr 0, Fe 7 (d, l’, l”, v’, v”, d 1, bv”), Ge 7(1) (d, l’, l”, v’, v”, l’ 1, l” 1, σ), Ti 8(1) (d, l’ξ, l”, v’, v”, k, l’ 1, l” 1, φ), Ta 14(1) (p’ξ, p”ξ, tc’ξ, tc”ξ, ft’ξ, ft”ξ, a’, a”, u’, u”, s, pl”, pv’, pv”, ω 1). Setae (tc), (ft) and l’ of tibia eupathidion-like. Empodium as in male. Leg II as in male, except absence of seta v’ of trochanter. Leg III as in male, except absence of seta v’ of trochanter and l’ of femur. Leg IV. Leg setation: Tr 0, Fe 0, Ge 3 (d. l’, v’), Ti 2 (d, v’), Ta 3 (tc, u’, u”). Empodium longer than tarsal claws.

DEUTONYMPH. In original description described as “female”. Gnathosoma as in male. Idiosoma. Idiosomal dorsum as in male. Idiosomal venter typical for the deutonymphs of Paratydeidae . Lengths of idiosomal setae: ve 15, sci broken, sce 20, c 1 17, c 2 54, d 17, e 16, f 1 16, f 2 37, h 1 20, h 2 broken, ps 1 19, ps 2 19, ps 3 31, ad 1 16, ad 2 15, ad 3 20, 1 a broken, 1 b 18, 1 c 9, 1 d 16, 2 a 19, 2 b 20, 2 c 10, 3 a 18, 3 b 23, 3 c 14, 4 a 15, ag 1-2 17, g 1-2 12. Legs. Leg I. Leg setation: Tr 0, Fe 2/5 (d, l’, l”, v’, v”, d 1, bv”), Ge 7(1) (d, l’, l”, v’, v”, l’ 1, l” 1, σ), Ti 8(1) (d, l’ξ, l”, v’, v”, k, l’ 1, l” 1, φ), Ta 14(2) (p’ξ, p”ξ, tc’ξ, tc”ξ, ft’ξ, ft”ξ, a’, a”, u’, u”, s, pl”, pv’, pv”, ω 1, ω 2). Femur I divided into basi- and telofemur. Legs II–IV as in male.

TRITONYMPH and FEMALE unknown.

Material examined. Type series including male holotype, one protonymph, one deutonymph and one larva, SOUTH AFRICA, from pasture soil, Agricultural Research Institute, Potchefstroom; coll. G.C. Loots between September and December 1962.

Remarks. According to the original description of the genus Sacotydeus ( Theron et al. 1969) it differs from closely related genera only by the presence of triangular plate on prodorsum. In fact, all paratydeid mites have a longitudinal prodorsal plate, which is more or less triangular near trichobothria sci.

Based on the presence of eyes, erect solenidia on the legs and palptarsus, bifurcate setae (u) on tarsi II–IV, I consider S. lootsi as a member of the genus Scolotydaeus and the genus Sacotydeus as a junior synonym of Scolotydaeus .

Figures

FIGURE 9. Scolotydaeus lootsi (Theron et al., 1969) comb. nov., male: genital acetabulae, setae k and eugenital setae.

FIGURE 10. Scolotydaeus lootsi (Theron et al., 1969) comb. nov., male: A—leg I in dorsal view, B—leg II in dorsal view.

FIGURE 11. Scolotydaeus lootsi (Theron et al., 1969) comb. nov., male: A—leg III in dorsal view, B—leg IV in dorsal view.

FIGURE 12. DIC micrographs: A— Scolotydaeus alexanderi (Baker, 1949) comb. nov., deutonymph, general view dorsally, B – D— Scolotydaeus lootsi (Theron et al., 1969) comb. nov.: B—male holotype, general view dorsally, C—male holotype, prodorsum, D—larva, general view dorsally.