Neotarsonemoides (N.) marandicus Gheblealivand, Haddad and Magowski

Gheblealivand, Saeide S., Irani-Nejad, Karim Haddad, Manzari, Shahab, Vahed, Mohammad Moghadam & Magowski, Wojciech Ł., 2016, A new species and new records of the genus Neotarsonemoides Kaliszewski, 1984 (Acari: Tarsonemidae) from East Azerbaijan province, Northwestern Iran, Zootaxa 4184 (1), pp. 63-78 : 65-66

Neotarsonemoides (N.) marandicus Gheblealivand, Haddad and Magowski sp. nov.

Diagnosis. Pharynx elongate, spindle-shape in outline, with distinct small glandular bodies. Lateral lobes on prodorsal shield present but small; surface of tergite C and ventral metapodosomal plate covered with mixed ornamentation composed of larger and smaller pits, remaining surfaces of idiosoma covered with uniform ornament of small dimples. Tergital setae d, f and h stiff and blunt, setae e slender, sharp, 1.4x length of setae d and 1.2x of f. Ridge of ventral propodosomal plate between trochanters I and II slightly convex; apodemes 1 very weakly marked, diffused; parallel apodemes not apparent; tegula semicircular in shape with rounded posterior edge. Genual part of FeGe III with 2 setae.

Description. FEMALE ( Figs. 1–8 ). Gnathosoma ( Figs. 3–4 ): capsule triangular-ovoid. Pharynx spindleshaped in outline, as wide as 0.33x maximum width of gnathosoma and as long as 0.74x of ventral length of gnathosomal capsule, without distinct striation, but with few oblique lines on each side; posterior extremity of pharynx associated with 1 pair of tiny glandular bodies. Postpalpal (pp) setae absent. Setae dgs longer than vgs. Cheliceral stylets and levers fine but pronounced. Palpi rather short, parallel, slightly convergent, each with small palptarsal processes and two minute setae.

Idiosomal dorsum (average length 146 (SD ± 9.2), width 96 (SD ± 5.7); length = 1.5x width; Fig. 1 ): relative length of setae (v1: sc2: c2: c1: d: e: f: h): 1: 1.3: 0.8: 0.4: 0.3: 0.4: 0.3: 0.3. Rostral shield subtrapezoidal, 2.7x wider than long. Vertical setae (v1) slender, sharp, separated by distance of 1.6x their length each from another. Prodorsal shield (PrS) semicircular in outline, 1.7x wider than long, with small anterolateral, indistinct lobate outgrowths and with slightly concave posterior edge. Stigmata located posterolaterally of setae v1, tracheal tubes with sclerotized atria followed by uniformly narrow tracheal tubes. Sensilla sc1 elongate, weakly club- shaped, covered with fine spines and with two stronger spines apically. Pits of setae v2 close behind stigmata and in line with v1 and sc2 on each side. Setae sc2 located posteriad of mid-length of prodorsal shield (measured from line of stigmata to posterior edge), reaching slightly beyond posterior edge of its shield, separated by distance of more than 2x their length. Setae c2 2x as long as c1. Setae c1 slender, sharp, reaching with tips 1/3 of distance to posterior edge of tergite C; separated by transverse distance over 7x their length. Posterior edge of tergite C convex. Setae d, f and h short, stiff and blunt; e slender, sharply ended. Setae d exceeding posterior edge of shield D by more than half of their length, separated by transverse distance of over 6x their length; posterolateral margin of shield D emarginated. Setae f slightly shorter than e but slightly longer than d; and separated by transverse interval of 2.6x their length. Distance between setae e and f on each side slightly lesser than twice that between f. Setae h located in distance of 5.6x their length each to another; subequal to f and slightly shorter than e. Shield C with mixed ornament composed of larger and smaller dimples. Remaining dorsal shielding with uniform dimpled ornament, somewhat varying in density.

Idiosomal venter ( Fig. 2 ): apodemes 1 very weakly defined, diffused; parallel apodemes indiscernible; anteromedial apodeme continuous, but weaken beyond posteromedial ends of apodemes 2. Sejugal apodeme continuous, arch-like, with numerous teeth projecting anteriorly. Ridge of ventral propodosomal plate between trochanters I and II convex (nearly straight in some specimens). Setae 1a -3b slender, sharp; 1a located well posteriad of front edge of propodosomal plate, in distance of 2.2x their length each to another. Setae 2a inserted on apodemes 2, near their distal extremities, in distance of 3x their lengths between their bases. Apodemes 3 strongly sclerotized, developed well laterally related to anterial extremities of trochanters III, but not in form of sclerotized transverse stripe; apodemes 4 separated from posteromedial apodeme medially; latter one bifurcated anteriorly. Setae 3a separated by distance of 3.7x their length each to another. Setae 3b shorter than 3a, separated by distance of over 4x their lengths, but similar to that between 3a. Ventral metapodosomal plate with anterior edge slightly concave, and with small acute processes between trochanters III and IV. Tegula semicircular in outline, with rounded posterior edge ca. 1.6x wider than long. Setae ps tapering, but stiffer than other attenuate setae, sharply pointed, their bases separated by distance of almost 4x their lengths. Surface of ventral metapodosomal plate covered with mixed ornamentation composed of larger and smaller pits, remaining ventral plates with uniform dimpled ornamentation, varying in density.

Legs ( Figs. 5–8 ). Proportions of free segments of legs (I: II: III: IV): 1.0: 0.9: 1.0: 0.6. Leg setation (for Fe, Ge, Tb and Ta, respectively): I: 4–4–6(2 φ)+8(1 ω); II: 3– 3– 4–6(1 ω); III: 1+2–4–4. None of tiny unguinal setae u” (and u’ on Ta I) discernible. Leg I: claw hooked, medium sized, slightly stronger than those of tarsi II and III.

Empodium small. Spine-like subunguinal seta s somewhat smaller than u’ of tarsi II and III. Tibiotarsus without ventral bend in area of tibia, ca. 3x as long as wide at base. Eupathidion p’ longer than p”, both located subapically, eupathidia tc’ and tc” equal in length, located above mid-length of segment. Three tarsal setae pv’, pv” and pl’ slender and sharp. Solenidion ω with subcylindrical head longer than its pedicel, similar in length to Ta II ω. Solenidion φ2 smaller than φ1, famulus k as long as φ1. Seta Ge l’ stiff, pointed, slightly barbed. Femur I with weak ventral protrusion. Seta l’ on femur strong, stiff, barbed; d short, stiff, and sharp. Leg II: claws medium-sized. Seta u’ spine-like. Seta pl” same in size as Ta II ω, located more distally. Seta tc” subequal to other setae of segment, reaching slightly beyond tip of empodium. Seta Ge l’ thick, pointed, barbed. Seta Fe d short, tapering. Leg III: claws weaker than in leg II. Seta u’ spine-like. Seta tc” longer than other setae of segment. Seta l’ missing from genu. Leg IV: free segments of leg shorter than femorogenu and tibia III. Femorogenu 2.8x as long as tibiotarsus. Femoral seta v’ subequal to genual v’. Seta Tb v’ shorter than length of femorogenu. Seta Ta tc” 1.6x as long as entire leg IV.

Measurements (holotype given first followed by 7 paratypes in parentheses) - body and tagmata: length of body: 165 (130–170); length of idiosoma: 155 (130–160); width of idiosoma (approx.): 100 (85–100); length of gnathosoma: 25 (22–25); width of gnathosoma: 16 (13–17); length of pharynx: 17 (16–20); width of pharynx: 5 (4– 6). dgs: 8 (6–11); vgs: 6 (5–7). Dorsum: length of PrS: 55 (40–50); width of PrS: 84 (70–85)); distance between stigmata: 48 (37–45). Lengths of setae: v1: 21 (16–20); sc1: 20 (15–20); sc2: 24 (22–23); c2: 15 (12–17); c1: 7 (5–10); d: 4 (5); e: 6 (6–8); f: 5 (5–6); h: 5 (5–6). Distances between setae: v1-v1: 30 (27–31); sc1-sc1: 35 (29–35); sc2-sc2: 43 (36–42); c2-c2: 90 (74–88); c1-c1: 60 (53–60); d -d: 33 (28–33); e -e: 64 (58–63); e -f: 28 (23–28); f -f: 18 (11–18); h -h: 29 (24–32). Venter: lengths of setae: 1a: 5 (?); 2a: 10 (7–10); 3a: 8 (6–7); 3b: 6 (4–6); ps: 4 (4–4). Distances between setae: 1a -1a: 12 (10–11); 2a -2a: 28 (26–30); 3a -3a: 26 (22–28); 3b -3b: 25 (22–25); ps -ps: 16 (13–18). Length of PrP: 53 (48–55); width of PrP: 75 (65–75); ap. 2- 2: 33 (30–34). Length of tegula: 7 (8–9); width of tegula: 14 (12–15). Leg segments and leg setae (lengths): Tbt I: 20 (18–22); Ta I ω: 6 (5–7); Tb φ2: 3; Tb φ1: 5; Tb k: 5; Ta II ω: 5 (5-6); FeGe IV: 17 (15–21); Tbt IV: 7 (5–7); Ge IV v': 35 (33); Tb IV v': 13 (16–18); Ta IV tc": 39 (30–42).

MALE and LARVA unknown.

Type material. Female holotype (slide no. SO M1804) and 3 female paratypes, IRAN: Marand, Farfar village district, 45°40'52.15"E, 38°29'6.50"N, 1,276 m, from sample of litter and soil, 23 May 2014, coll. S. Gheblealivand ; 4 female paratypes, IRAN: Marand , Yam village district, 45°47'209"E, 38°21'234"N, 1,827 m, from soil, 25 April 2014, coll. S. Gheblealivand .

Type depositions. Holotype and 4 paratypes are deposited in the Acarology Laboratory , Department of Plant Protection , University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran ; 3 paratypes in the collection of the Department of Animal Taxonomy and Ecology, A. Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland .

Etymology. This species is named after the Marand city, East Azerbaijan, Iran, where the holotype and paratypes were collected.

Differential diagnosis. Females of the new species are similar to Neotarsonemoides (N.) lucifer in having the similar pharynx structure; the same dorsal opisthosomal setae pattern (d, f and h stiff and blunt; e slender and sharp) and the short ps setae. However it differs from the latter in (1) having small prodorsal lateral lobes, which are not pronounced in N. lucifer ; (2) having the irregular dimpled ornamentation of tergite C and ventral metapodosomal plate; (3) parallel apodemes not apparent vs. well pronounced in N. lucifer ; and (4) the setation of FeGe III 1 +2 vs. 1+ 3 in N. lucifer .

Figures

FIGURE 1. Neotarsonemoides (N.) marandicus sp. nov. female dorsum.

FIGURE 2. Neotarsonemoides (N.) marandicus sp. nov. female venter.

FIGURES 3 – 4. Neotarsonemoides (N.) marandicus sp. nov., female gnathosoma: 3 — dorsum, 4 — venter.

FIGURES 5 – 8. Neotarsonemoides (N.) marandicus sp. nov., female legs: 5 — leg I (5 a—dorsal aspect, 5 b—tibial sensory cluster, dorsal aspect, close-up), 6 — leg II (dorsal aspect), 7 — leg III (ventral aspect), 8 — leg IV (ventral aspect).