Podocinum bengalensis Bhattacharyya

Santos, Jandir C., Martins, João P. I., Britto, Erika P. J. & De Moraes, Gilberto J., 2017, A new species of Podocinum (Acari: Podocinidae) from Brazil, and supplementary descriptions of three species of this genus, Zootaxa 4290 (3), pp. 444-458 : 445-447

Podocinum bengalensis Bhattacharyya

Podocinum bengalensis Bhattacharyya, 1968: 528 . Podocinum bengalensis .— Yan et al., 2012: 42 .

Specimens examined. Three females collected by E.P.J. Britto on March 21, 2016 at Sinop, Mato Grosso State; one female collected by J.C. Santos on June 9, 2013 at Jaboticabal, São Paulo State; two females colleted by A.R. Oliveira on February 16, 2000 at São Pedro, São Paulo State; two females colleted by A.R. Oliveira January 26, 2000 at LuiZ Antônio, São Paulo State. All specimens collected from litter.

Adult female: (five specimens measured)

Gnathosoma. Chelicera with antiaxial and dorsal lyrifissures as well as dorsal seta distinct ( Fig. 1 ); fixed digit 52 (50–52) long, with five teeth in addition to apical tooth and a minute setiform pilus dentilis; movable digit 50 (49–50) long, with two teeth in addition to apical tooth. Palp setae (trochanter to tibia): 2-5-6-13; all setae aciculate and smooth; apotele 3-tined ( Fig. 2 ). Anterior region of epistome with three distally divided extensions; lateral extensions with outer margin denticulate ( Fig. 3 ). Deutosternum with anteriormost transverse line smooth followed by six transverse lines of denticles about parallel to each other, each with 14–20 denticles; corniculus horn-shaped, about 21 (20–21) long and 14 (14–15) wide basally; seta h 2 slightly posteriad of h 3 ( Fig. 4 ). Measurements of setae: h 1 21 (21–22), h 2 7, h 3 25 (20–25), pc 18 (13–18).

Dorsal idiosoma ( Fig. 5 ). Dorsal shield covered by small protuberances, which are arranged in a polygonal network posteriad of J 3 ( Figs 5, 6 ), 437 (415–455) long and 320 (310–333) wide at widest level. Dorsal shield with distinct lateral incisions at region between Z 1 and Z 3. Podonotal region with nine pairs of setae (j 1 –j 3, j 6, z 5, s 2 – s 5), one pair of distinguishable lyrifissures and four pairs of distinguishable pores. Opisthonotal region with six pairs of setae (J 3 –J5, Z 1, Z 3, Z 4), and two pairs of distinguishable pores. Setal lengths: j 1 8, j 2 70 (68 – 69), j 3 5, j 6 10, z 5 5, s 2 5, s 3 5, s 4 5, s 5 11 (10 – 11), J 3 63 (62 – 63), J 4 62 (62 – 63), J 5 70 (70–71), Z 1 33 (33 – 35), Z 3 74 (70 – 75), Z 4 86 (85 – 88). Podonotal setae aciculate and smooth (except j 2, serrate); opisthonotal setae stout and serrate ( Figs 5, 7 ).

Ventral idiosoma ( Fig. 8 ). Base of tritosternum indistinguishable; laciniae 34 (33–34) long, separated from each other for about 95% of their total length ( Fig.9 ). Sternal shield 75 long at mid-line and 96 (93–100) wide between setae st 1 and st 2, mostly smooth, except for scant lateral lines; posterior margin slightly concave. With three pairs of setae (st 1– st 3); seta st 4 inserted on metasternal plate; lyrifissures (iv 1– iv 5) absent. Genital shield reticulate, apex of hyaline anterior region rounded, posterior margin lightly convex, widened posteriorly; distance st 5- st 5 62 (60–63). Pore gv 2 on the unsclerotised cuticle. Ventrianal shield subtrapeZoidal 113 (108–118) long at mid-line and 144 (140–150) wide at widest level; with four pairs of setae (Jv 1, Jv 3, Jv 4 and Zv 2) in addition to circumanal setae; para-anal and post-anal setae similar in length, the former inserted slightly anteriad of level of posterior margin of anal opening. With a pair of opisthogastric setae on unsclerotised cuticle flanking ventrianal shield (Jv 5). Exopodal plate fused with peritrematic plate next to coxa IV, entire, extending forward up to coxa II. Measurements of setae: st 1 26 (25–26), st 2 23 (20–25), st 3 19 (18–20), st 4 18 (18–20), st 5 30 (28–33); Jv 1 13, Jv 3 21 (20–23), Jv 4 29 (28–30), Jv 5 15 (15–18), Zv 2 9 (8–10); para-anal 20 (18–20), post-anal 24 (24–25). All setae aciculate and smooth.

Peritreme and peritrematic plate ( Figs 5, 8 ). Peritreme extending forward beyond level of j 1 to abut distal end of opposite peritreme. Peritrematic plate fused with dorsal shield anteriad of s 2, extending posteriorly behind coxa IV; with a distinguishable pore next to coxa II; Section posteriad of stigma with a pore and no distinct lyrifissures.

Spermathecal apparatus. Most similar to phytoseiid type; major duct and vesicle indistinct; minor duct distinct; calyx lightly sclerotised, constricted near median region, apparently with a globous structure near atrium ( Fig. 10 ).

Legs. Median section of pulvilli of legs II–IV rounded; paradactyli of these legs elongate and acuminate ( Fig. 11 ). Lengths: I: 825 (813–838); II: 503 (488–513); III: 456 (450–463); IV: 585 (575–588). Chaetotaxy – coxae: I: 0, 0/1, 0/1, 0; II: 0, 0/1, 0/1, 0; III: 0, 0/1, 0/1, 0; IV: 0, 0/1, 0/0, 0; trochanters: I: 1, 0/1, 1/2, 1; II: 1, 0/1, 0/2, 1; III: 1, 1/2, 0/1, 0; IV: 1, 1/2, 0/1, 0; femora: I: 2, 1/1, 3/2, 2; II: 2, 2/2, 2/1, 1; III: 1, 2/1, 1/0, 1; IV: 1, 2/1, 1/0, 1; genua: I: 2, 1/0, 3/2, 2; II: 1, 2/1, 2/0, 1; III: 1, 2/1, 2/0, 1; IV: 1, 2/0, 2/1, 0; tibiae: I: 2, 1/0, 3/2, 1; II: 1, 1/1, 2/1, 1; III: 1, 1/1, 2/1, 1; IV: 1, 1/1, 2/1, 0; tarsi: I: not counted, II: 18 setae, III: 17, IV: 17 ( Fig. 12 ). No leg macrosetae.

Adult male. Unknown.

Remarks. A comparison of the specimens collected with type specimens of P. bengalensis was not possible, because the type specimens could not be located. In a discussion with the Zoological Survey of India, where the types should have been deposited according to the original description, no record of this species in the Type Register or in the type collection holding of that institution was found (S. Acharia, personal communication on May 1, 2017) . Characteristics of the specimens collected in BraZil agree well with the information provided for P. bengalensis in its original description, which was rather detailed, but with no setal measurements. The difference refers to the larger siZe of the specimens collected in this work (dorsal shield 342 long and 234 wide and ventrianal shield 76 – 80 long and 124 wide in the types of P. bengalensis ). We consider those differences to represent intraspecific variations, given that the proportions between structures shown in original description are similar to what is observed in the specimens collected in this study.

Figures

FIGURE 12. Podocinum bengalensis Bhattacharyya. Female. Legs I – IV.

FIGURES 1 – 11. Podocinum bengalensis Bhattacharyya. Female. 1. Antiaxial view of chelicera; 2. Apotele; 3. Epistome; 4. Hypostome; 5. Dorsal view of idiosoma; 5 a. Detail of region near j 1; 6. Ornamentation of dorsal shield; 7. Seta J 3; 8. Ventral view of idiosoma; 9. Tritosternum; 10. Spermathecal apparatus: 11. Pretarsus of leg II. Lyrifissures and pores enlarged for improved visibility.