Magdalenapalpus caperatus Beard and Seeman

Beard, Jennifer J., Seeman, Owen D. & Bauchan, Gary R., 2014, Tenuipalpidae (Acari: Trombidiformes) from Casuarinaceae (Fagales), Zootaxa 3778 (1), pp. 1-157 : 56-62

Magdalenapalpus caperatus Beard and Seeman sp. nov.

( Figs 42–47 )

Type material examined. Holotype female ex. Coastal She-Oak Casuarina equisetifolia (Casuarinaceae) , AUSTRALIA: Northern Territory, Darwin, Nightcliffe Boat Ramp, 12º22’46” S 130º50’34” E, 19 May 2008, coll. J.J. Beard and R. Ochoa ( MAGNT). Paratypes. Same data as holotype: 21 females, 1 pharate female, 5 deutonymphs, 7 protonymphs, 15 larvae (24 slides) ( MAGNT, QM, ANIC, USNM).

Diagnosis. Dorsal opisthosomal setae f2 absent. Dorsal setae broadly lanceolate, strongly barbed, subequal in length. Prodorsal and opisthosomal shield with extensive rugose and wrinkled sculpturing; lateral cuticle smooth. Dorsal opisthosomal setae d1-d 1 26–30, e1- e 1 23–25 apart. Posterior opisthosomal venter with thickened, barbed setae.

FEMALE (n = 22). Dorsum. ( Figs 42 , 43 ) Body measurements: distance between setae v2 -h1 275–300 [290]; sc2-sc2 98–105 [105]; other measurements: v2-v2 32 –35 [35], sc1-sc1 76–78 [77], c1-c 1 31–35 [35], c2-c2 59–77 [59], c3-c3 135–145 [145], d1-d 1 26–30 [28], d2-d2 91–105 [105], d3-d3 115–130 [130], e1- e 1 23–25 [25], e2- e2 91–105 [105], e3- e3 94–110 [110], f3-f3 80–92 [92], h1-h 1 29–32 [31], h2-h2 47–58 [47]. Gnathosoma partially concealed beneath prodorsum. Anterior margin of prodorsum with medial notch (internal depth 15–16), forming pair of broad, fleshy lobes ( Figs 42 , 43 ); setae v2 inserted under a fold on each lobe ( Figs 42 , 43 ). Prodorsal shield with rugose sculpturing. Opisthosomal shield with rugose-oblique sculpturing, becoming transverse-rugose medially. Lateral cuticle surrounding shields weakly tessellate to smooth. All dorsal setae barbed, broadly lanceolate. Setal lengths: v 2 18–22 [18], sc 1 17–18 [17], sc 2 16–22 [22], c 1 16–20 [20], c 2 19–23 [19], c 3 18–19 [19], d 1 15–16 [16], d 2 16–18 [18], d 3 19–20 [19], e 1 13 –15 [15], e 2 18 –22 [22], e 3 18 –20 [20], f 3 15–20 [15], h 1 15–16 [16], h 2 18–20 [20]. Palps. ( Fig. 43 ) Setal formula 0, 0, 0, 2, 3(1s+2e). Tibial setae, dorsal 5–7 [5] long, ventral 8–9 [8] long; tarsal eupathidia 6, 8 long; solenidion 6–8 [8] long. Venter. ( Fig. 44 a) Cuticle with transverse striae, becoming longitudinal midway between 4a and ag, extending to genital area; fine striae become coarse lateral to genital area. Setae g1 inserted in more-or-less transverse line with g2, g2 slightly anterior to g1. Genital shield smooth, poorly defined, ca. 25–30 [30] long, 38–40 [40] wide; anal setae ps1–3 inserted in longitudinal row on anal plates. Coxal setae fine, except 2c barbed; setae ps1–2 barbed; ps3, g1-g2, ag smooth or with few barbs. Setal lengths: 1a 36–50 [50], 1b 20–29 [29], 2b 14–17 [14], 2c 19–23 [23], 3a 38–40 [40], 3b 13–15 [15], 4a 23–37 [37], 4b 12–14 [14], ag 1 18–21 [18], g 1 20–23 [23], g 2 18–20 [20], ps 1 14–15 [15], ps 2 12–14 [14], ps 3 7–12 [12]. Spermatheca. ( Fig. 44 b) Spermathecal tube short, narrow, <1 wide, ca. 40 long, expanded at exterior opening, and ending in membranous vesicle 8 long, 2–3 wide. Genital opening between setae ps2–3. Legs. ( Fig. 45 ) Setal formula for legs I–IV (coxae to tarsi) 1-0-3-1-4-8(1), 2-0-3-1-4-8(1), 1-1-2-0-3-4, 1-0-1-0-3-4. Tarsi I and II each with 1 antiaxial solenidion ω" (ta I 10–12 [12] long, ta II 10–11 [11] long) and 2 eupathidia pζ'-pζ" (6–7 [7] long). Leg setation as in Table 1 except: coxae I without 1c; v ′ absent on tr I–IV, l' present on tr III; genua I–II with d; tarsi I–IV without tc′′.

MALE. Unknown.

DEUTONYMPH (4 paratypes). Dorsum. Body measurements: distance between setae v2 -h1 245–270, sc2-sc2 77–88; other measurements: v2-v 2 25–28, sc1-sc1 70–74, c1-c 1 23–25, c2-c2 68–69, c3-c3 123–128, d1-d 1 19–20, d2-d2 69–73, d3-d3 93–99, e1- e 1 22–40, e2- e2 85–88, e3- e3 90, f3-f3 65–70, h1-h 1 14–21, h2-h2 34–40. Anterior margin of prodorsum with rounded protrusion lacking medial notch. Prodorsal shield smooth with few creases. Opisthosomal shield with c1-c2 and d1-d2 on patches of smooth cuticle, and smooth pygidial shield; all shields surrounded by coarse irregularly transverse striae medially and smooth soft cuticle laterally. All dorsal setae lanceolate, except e3, f3, h1, h2 narrowly lanceolate. Setal lengths: v 2 25–28, sc 1 17–18, sc 2 19–20, c 1 18–25, c 2 18–20, c 3 16–19, d1 16, d 2 16–19, d 3 17–20, e 1 13 –15, e 2 14 –16, e 3 16 –17, f 3 16–18, h 1 11–13, h 2 18–19. Palps. Palps similar to adult. Tibial setae, dorsal 6 long, ventral 7–9 long; tarsal eupathidia 5, 6 long; solenidion 4–5 long. Venter. ( Fig. 46 c) Cuticle with transverse striae to midway between 4a and ag, becoming longitudinal, striae coarse around anal region. Anal setae ps1–3 on weakly defined anal plates. Ventral setae fine, smooth. Setal lengths: 1a 37–42, 1 b 14–16, 2 b 11–12, 2 c 17–20, 3 a 30–32, 3 b 10–11, 4 a 17–26, 4 b 10–14, ag 1 10–13, g 1 12–15, ps1 5–6, ps2 6–8, ps3 5–6. Legs. Setal formula for legs I–IV same as adult. Tarsi I and II each with 1 antiaxial solenidion ω" (5–6 long) and 2 eupathidia pζ'-pζ" (5 long).

PROTONYMPH (7 paratypes). Dorsum. Body measurements: distance between setae v2 -h1 190–210, sc2-sc2 71–78; other measurements: v2-v 2 20–24, sc1-sc1 58–63, c1-c 1 17–22, c2-c2 59–61, c3-c3 100–108, d1-d 1 15–17, d2-d2 57–61, d3-d3 78–84, e1- e 1 12–14, e2- e2 64–69, e3- e3 66–71, f3-f3 41–50, h1-h 1 9–15, h2-h 2 20–30. Anterior margin of prodorsum with rounded protrusion lacking medial notch. Prodorsal shield smooth with few creases. Opisthosomal shield with c2 and d1-d2 on patches of smooth cuticle, and smooth pygidial shield; all shields surrounded by coarse irregularly transverse striae medially and smooth soft cuticle laterally. Dorsal setae narrowly lanceolate, except setae v2, c1, c3, d2, e1 lanceolate. Setal lengths: v 2 20–24, sc 1 14–15, sc 2 17–18, c1 18, c 2 16–18, c 3 12–16, d 1 15–16, d 2 15–16, d 3 14–15, e 1 11 –14, e2 14, e 3 13 –15, f 3 12–13, h 1 9–10, h 2 12–13. Palps. Palps similar to adult. Tibial setae, dorsal 7 long, ventral 5 long; tarsal eupathidia 4–5, 5–6 long; solenidion 4–5 long. Vent er. ( Fig. 46 b) Striation similar to deutonymph. Anal setae ps1–3 on weakly defined anal plates. Ventral setae fine, smooth. Setal lengths: 1a 28–31, 1 b 13–17, 2 b 13–16, 3 a 23–25, 3 b 9–12, ag1 8–9, ps1 4–5, ps2 3–4, ps3 3–5. Legs. Setal formula for legs I–IV (coxae to tarsi) 1-0-3-0-4-8(1), 1-0-3-0-4-8(1), 1-1-2-0-3-4, 0-0-1- 0-3-3. Tarsi I and II each with 1 antiaxial solenidion ω" (3–4 long) and 2 eupathidia pζ'-pζ" (5 long). Leg setation as in deutonymph except: seta 2c, 4b absent; genu I–II without d; tarsi IV without tc ′. Setae l' added to tr III.

LARVA (15 paratypes). Dorsum. ( Fig. 47) Body measurements: distance between setae v2 -h1 150–170, sc2- sc2 65–70; other measurements: v2-v 2 17–18, sc1-sc1 49–51, c1-c 1 15–16, c2-c2 52–54, c3-c3 89–94, d1-d 1 11– 13, d2-d2 47–50, d3-d3 67–72, e1- e 1 9–10, e2- e2 55–59, e3- e3 45–53, f3-f 3 31–34, h1-h1 5–7, h2-h 2 16–18. Dorsal setae barbed; thin except for v2, c3, d2 narrowly lanceolate and c1, d1 lanceolate. Anterior margin of prodorsum without medial notch. Prodorsal shield smooth with few creases. Pygidial shield or platelets not apparent; cuticle with irregular transverse lines on soft cuticle. Setal lengths: v 2 13–18, sc 1 9–10, sc 2 12–13, c 1 13–15, c 2 14–16, c 3 9–10, d 1 10–14, d 2 10–11, d3 8–9, e 1 9 –10, e2 9, e 3 7 –10, f 3 9–10, h1 8, h 2 8–11. Palps. Palps similar to adult. Tibial setae, dorsal 6–7 long, ventral 5–6 long; tarsal eupathidia 4–5, 6 long; solenidion 4 long. Venter. ( Fig. 46 a) Striation similar to deutonymph. Anal setae ps1–3 on weakly defined anal plates. Coxal setae fine. Setal lengths: 1a 18–23, 1 b 10–14, 3 a 20–23, ps1 3–4, ps2 3–4, ps3 3–4. Legs. Setal formula for legs I– III (coxae to tarsi) 1-0-3-0-4-7(1), 0-0-3-0-4-7(1), 0-0-2-0-3-3. Tarsi I and II each with 1 antiaxial solenidion ω" (ta I 4 long, ta II 3–4 long) and 2 eupathidia pζ'-pζ" (5 long). Leg setation as in protonymph except: seta 2b absent; seta 3b absent; tr I–III nude; ta I–III without seta tc ′.

Etymology. The specific name derives from caperatus (wrinkled), alluding to the dorsal ornamentation.

Remarks. This species was red in colour and found in cracks on bark. Our two new species of Magdalenapalpus have identical body and leg setation but are distinguished by the form of the dorsal setae and distance between d1-d1 and e1-e1. These new species were also collected from two different genera of host plant, Allocasuarina and Casuarina .

Magdalenapalpus caperatus is similar to M. forsteri but can be separated by the shape of the dorsal setae which are broadly lanceolate in M. caperatus (narrowly lanceolate in M. forsteri ), the distance between setae d1-d 1 26–30 (11–16 in M. forsteri ) and between setae e1- e 1 23–25 (9–13 in M. forsteri ).

Figures

FIGURE 42. Magdalenapalpus caperatus Beard and Seeman, adult female, dorsum.

FIGURE 43. Magdalenapalpus caperatus Beard and Seeman, adult female, anterior margin of prodorsum, with details of palp.

FIGURE 44. Magdalenapalpus caperatus Beard and Seeman, adult female, a. posterior venter; b. spermatheca.

FIGURE 45. Magdalenapalpus caperatus Beard and Seeman, adult female, legs (right side), solenidion ω " and eupathidia (pζ ′ - pζ ′′) not labelled on leg I.

FIGURE 46. Magdalenapalpus caperatus Beard and Seeman, immature posterior venter, a. larva; b. protonymph; c. deutonymph.