Philippipalpus flumaquercus 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 : 116-119

Philippipalpus flumaquercus Beard and Seeman sp. nov.

( Figs 98–102 )

Type material examined. Holotype female ex. River She-Oak Casuarina cunninghamiana (Casuarinaceae) , AUSTRALIA: Queensland, nr Biggenden, 3 km ENE Didcot, Didcot Creek, 25°27’54’’ S 151°53’47’’ E, 29 August 2004, coll. J.J. Beard and P.I. Forster (QM). Paratypes. 6 females, 1 deutonymph, 1 protonymph, same data as holotype (QM, ANIC, USNM).

Diagnosis. Distance between setae v2 -h1 330–340. Distance between e2-e2 115–125. Prodorsal shield laterally with coarse folded sculpturing, medially with coarse reticulate sculpturing; without depressions. Cuticle between prodorsal and opisthosomal shields (sejugal region) strongly papillate-striate. Opisthosomal shield with somewhat distinct paired mesonotal shields and pygidial shield; mesonotal region distinctly separated into 2 shields by smooth cuticle with a few coarse irregular longitudinal folds mesally; mesonotal and pygidial regions separated by smooth region with irregular transverse folds between d1-e1. Lateral cuticle with> 80 strong papillae. Cuticle between 3a-4a entirely transverse to wavy. Vesicle of spermatheca round, 1.5 x 1.5, without grainy appearance.

FEMALE (n = 7). Dorsum. ( Fig. 98 a) Body measurements: distance between setae v2 -h1 330–340 [330], sc2- sc2 105–115 [110]; other measurements: v2-v 2 24–33 [33], sc1-sc1 83–90 [89], c1-c 1 27–32 [32], c3-c3 140–145 [145], d1-d 1 15–20 [18], d2-d2 130–135 [129], d3-d3 115–125 [120], e1- e 1 13–19 [18], e3-e3 100–115 [105], f3-f3 79–90 [84], h1-h 1 21–30 [26], h2-h2 49–65 [56]. Gnathosoma concealed beneath the prodorsum. Anterior margin of prodorsum with a deep medial notch (internal depth 21–26 [25]) forming 1 pair of broad fleshy lobes, each bearing v2 (inserted ventrally). Prodorsal shield laterally with coarse folded sculpturing, medially with coarse reticulate sculpturing; without depressions. Opisthosomal shield with somewhat distinct paired mesonotal shields and pygidial shield; mesonotal region distinctly separated into 2 shields by smooth cuticle with few coarse irregular longitudinal folds mesally; mesonotal and pygidial regions separated by smooth region with irregular transverse folds between d1-e1. Surrounding cuticle almost completely papillate, papillae irregular. All dorsal shield setae short, barbed, with longitudinal barbed ridges, thick, triangular in cross-section; medial setae only slightly broader than lateral setae. Setal lengths: v 2 15–20 [20], sc 1 14–17 [15], sc 2 18–20 [20], c 1 17–21 [21], c 3 17–19 [19], d 1 13–17 [14], d 2 16–20 [18], d 3 16–18 [17], e 1 10 –12 [11], e 3 16 –18 [18], f 3 14–20 [18], h 1 11–14 [12], h 2 15–18 [17]. Palps. ( Fig. 98 b) Setal formula 0, 0, 0, 2, 3(1s+2e). Tibial setae, dorsal 6 [6] long, ventral 8–9 [8] long; tarsal eupathidia 4 [5], 5–6 [6] long; solenidion 5–6 [6] long. Venter. ( Fig. 99 a) Cuticle smooth, with transverse striae behind cx IV, abruptly becoming longitudinal to genital area; fine striae become coarse lateral to genital area. Striae broken in small area anteromedial to 1a. Genital setae inserted in more-or-less transverse line along posterior margin of genital shield; setae g1 inserted slightly posterior to g2. Genital shield smooth, weakly developed, membranous. All coxal setae fine. Setal lengths: 1a 35–55 [35], 1b 13–19 [14], 2b 15–23 [18], 2c 18–20 [20], 3a 35–50 [50], 3b 11–12 [12], 4a 31–40 [31], 4b 14–19 [15], ag 1 10–14 [10], g 1 17–23 [19], g 2 16–20 [16], ps 1 14– 15 [15], ps 2 12–18 [18], ps 3 7–10 [10]. Spermatheca. ( Fig. 99 b) Spermathecal tube long and narrow, ca. 100–115 [110] long. Spermatheca vesicle small, rounded to bean-shaped (1.5 x 1.5), without accessory structures, without granular appearance. Genital opening anteromedad anal setae ps3. Legs. ( Fig. 100 ) Setal formula for legs I–IV (coxae to tarsi) 1-0-3-1-4-8(1), 2-0-3-1-4-8(1), 1-1-2-0-2-4, 1-0-1-0-2-4. Tarsi I and II each with 1 antiaxial solenidion ω" (10–11 [10] long) and 2 eupathidia pζ'-pζ" (6–7 [6–7] long). Leg setation as in Table 1 except: coxae I without 1c; tr I–IV without v ′ (l' present on tr III); ge I–II with d, ge I–III without l ′, ge I–II without v ′; tibiae III– IV without d; ta I–IV without tc ′′.

MALE. Unknown.

DEUTONYMPH (n = 1). Dorsum. ( Fig. 101) Body measurements: distance between setae v2 -h1 285, sc2-sc2 92; other measurements: v2-v2 24, sc1-sc1 76, c1 not expressed on left hand side, c3-c3 121, d1-d1 17, d2-d2 105, d3-d3 93, e1- e1 15, e3- e3 86, f3-f3 66, h1-h1 21, h2-h2 43. Anterior margin of prodorsum rounded, not incised medially; with small lobe between setae v2 beneath margin of shield. Prodorsal shield weakly developed with weak wrinkled sculpturing in a longitudinal-oblique pattern. Opisthosomal shield appears absent, cuticle mostly folded transversely, becoming oblique-longitudinal posteriorly. Pore visible laterad c1. All dorsal shield setae short, barbed, with longitudinal barbed ridges, thick, triangular in cross-section. Setal lengths: v2 22, sc1 broken, sc2 21, c1 15, c3 21, d1 16, d2 20, d3 19, e1 14, e3 19, f3 18, h1 13, h2 17. Palps. Palps similar to adult. Tibial setae, dorsal 4 long, ventral 5 long; tarsal eupathidia both 4 long; solenidion 4 long. Venter. ( Fig. 102 a) Cuticle mostly smooth, with transverse striae behind cx IV, abruptly becoming longitudinal to genital area; fine striae become coarse lateral to genital area. Striae broken in small area anteromedial to 1a. All coxal setae fine. Setal lengths: 1a 39, 1 b 8, 2 b 8, 2 c 17, 3a 35, 3 b 8, 4a 35, 4 b 9, ag1 9, g1 14, ps1 12, ps2 8, ps3 7. Legs. ( Fig. 102 b) Setal formula for legs I–IV same as adult. Tarsi I and II each with 1 antiaxial solenidion ω" (ta I 6 long, ta II 5 long) and 2 eupathidia pζ' - pζ" (4–5 long).

PROTONYMPH (n = 1). Dorsum. Body measurements: distance between setae v2 -h1 235, sc1-sc1 74; other measurements: v2-v2 24, sc2-sc2 85, c1-c1 21, c3-c3 110, d1-d1 15, d2-d2 86, d3-d3 80, e1- e1 11, e3- e3 71, f3-f3 53, h1-h1 33, h2-h2 16. Anterior margin of prodorsum rounded, not incised medially, with small lobe between setae v2, beneath margin of shield. Prodorsal shield weakly developed with wrinkled-grooved sculpturing in a longitudinal-oblique pattern. Opisthosomal shield absent; cuticle with sparse transverse folds, becoming obliquelongitudinal posteriorly. All dorsal shield short, barbed, thick. Setal lengths: v2 22, sc1 14, sc2 17, c1 16, c3 16, d1 9, d2 16, d3 15, e1 9, e3 15, f3 16, h1 10, h2 15. Palps. Palps similar to adult. Tibial setae, dorsal 7 long, ventral 4 long; tarsal eupathidia both 4 long; solenidion 3 long. Venter. Cuticle smooth, with transverse striae behind cx IV, abruptly becoming longitudinal to genital area; fine striae become coarse lateral to genital-anal region. Striae broken in small area anteromedial to 1a. All coxal setae fine. Setal lengths: 1a 28, 1 b 10, 2 c 15, 3a 20, 3 b 8, ag1 7, ps1 4, ps2 4, ps3 4. Legs. ( Fig. 102 c) Setal formula (coxae to tarsi) 1-0-3-0-4-8(1), 1-0-3-0-4-8(1), 1-1-2-0-2-4, 0- 0-1-0-2-3. Tarsi I and II each with 1 antiaxial solenidion ω" (3 long) and 2 eupathidia pζ'-pζ" (ta I 5, 4 long; ta II 5, 3 long). Leg setation as in Table 1 except: coxae I without 1c; genua I–III without l ′; tibiae III–IV without d; tarsi I– III without tc ′′. Setae l' added to tr III.

LARVA. Unknown.

Etymology. The specific name derives from the latinisation of the common name “River Oak”.

Remarks. Females of Ph. flumaquercus have slightly smaller features than female Ph. agohoi , even though the body size is greater (328–340 versus 300–310 for v2 -h1). In addition, P. flumaquercus can be separated from P. agohoi by having a coarsely rugose prodorsum, while the latter has a finely reticulate prodorsum.

These mites were collected from the needle-like stems of the host plant, which was growing in woodland with Corymbia tessellaris and Eucalyptus tereticornis , both Myrtaceae , on sandy alluvium.

Figures

FIGURE 98. Philippipalpus flumaquercus Beard and Seeman, adult female, a. dorsum; b. detail of palp (scale bar for palp = 25 Μm).

FIGURE 99. Philippipalpus flumaquercus Beard and Seeman, adult female, a. posterior venter; b. spermatheca.

FIGURE 100. Philippipalpus flumaquercus Beard and Seeman, adult female, legs (left side); solenidion ω " and eupathidia (pζ ′ - pζ ′′) not labelled on leg I.

FIGURE 102. Philippipalpus flumaquercus Beard and Seeman, immatures, a. deutonymph posterior venter; b. deutonymph tarsus I (left side); c. protonymph tarsus I (right side). Solenidion ω " and eupathidia (pζ ′ - pζ ′′) not labelled on b. and c.