Proctolaelaps colombianus, Rueda-Ramírez, Diana, Varela, Amanda & De Moraes, Gilberto J., 2016

Rueda-Ramírez, Diana, Varela, Amanda & De Moraes, Gilberto J., 2016, Soil mites of the families Ascidae, Blattisociidae and Melicharidae (Acari: Mesostigmata) from mountainous areas of Colombia, Zootaxa 4127 (3), pp. 493-514 : 508-511

Proctolaelaps colombianus sp. nov.

Figs (29–34)

Specimens examined. Holotype female and four paratype females from soil of a fragment of Andean forest ( pH 4.7; organic matter 54%; humidity 77%; soil temperature 10°C); collected by D. Rueda-Ramirez in June, 2010. Holotype and three paratype females deposited at ESALQ-USP. One paratype female deposited at MJHN-PUJ.

Diagnosis. Anterior region of epistome with three similar projections, truncate and distally denticulate; deutosternal groove with lateral lines slightly divergent posteriorly but constricted between sixth and seventh and at level of eighth lines; dorsal shield almost completely covering the idiosoma, reticulate and with delineate strip along lateral margins; anterolateral margins of shield deeply incised between s 1 and s 2, with 38 pairs of setae; with one pair of metapodal plates; opisthogaster with ten pairs of setae on unsclerotised cuticle (Jv 1– Jv 5, Zv 1– Zv 5); peritreme extending anteriorly almost to the level of z 1; peritrematic plate wide, fused to dorsal shield at level of j 3.

Description (Female, five specimens measured).

Gnathosoma. Fixed cheliceral digit 34 (34–35) long, with 15–16 teeth and a membranous lobe instead of a pilus dentilis; movable digit 31 (30–32) long, with two teeth; dorsal seta stout, dorsal and antiaxial lyrifissures distinct ( Fig. 29 ). Numbers of setae on palp trochanter–tarsus: 2, 5, 6, 14, 15; palp tarsal apotele bifurcate. Anterior region of epistome with three similar projections, truncate and distally denticulate ( Fig. 30 ); Deutosternal groove moderately wide ( Fig. 31 ), with eight transverse lines, the most distal smooth, the most proximal with about six denticles and others with 15–26 denticles each; delimited by lateral lines which are slightly divergent posteriorly but constricted between sixth and seventh and at level of eighth line. Internal malae broad, distinctly separated from each other; lateral margins fimbriate. Corniculi horn-shaped, about twice as long as their basal width, well separated from each other, subparallel. Seta h 3 about in longitudinal line with h 1 and posteriad of h 2. Measurements of setae: h 1 28 (27–30), h 2 21 (20–22), h 3 32 (30–35), pc 31 (30–33), palp trochanter av 31 (28-33), palp trochanter pv 20 (17-22); setae aciculate and smooth.

Dorsal idiosoma ( Fig. 32 ). Idiosoma 410 (390–439) long and 271 (240–291) wide at the widest level. Podonotal and opisthonotal shields fused, 408 (384–431) long and 268 (237–280) wide at the widest level, almost completely covering dorsal surface of idiosoma, reticulate; antero-lateral margins of dorsal shield deeply incised between s 1 and s 2; with delineate strip along lateral margins. Podonotal region with 22 pairs of setae (including r 2– r 5, and s 1; the latter inserted on distal part of fused dorsal and peritrematic shields), three pairs of lyrifissures and a pair of pores; seta z 3 absent on the right side of three specimens examined. Opisthonotal region with 16–17 pairs of setae (including R 1; one specimen with R 2), nine pairs of lyrifissures and three pairs of pores. Setal measurements: j 1 29 (28–30), j 2 30 (28–31), j 3 49 (47–50), j 4 49 (47–52), j 5 52 (50–53), j 6 50 (49–51), J 1 42 (41–44), J 2 43 (41– 45), J 3 44 (43–45), J 4 37 (35–39), J 5 11 (10–13), z 1 17 (14–19), z 2 26 (25–27), z 3 32 (31–33), z 4 52 (47–56), z 5 56 (56–57), z 6 51 (49–54), Z 1 53 (51–55), Z 2 46 (43–50), Z 3 42 (40–43), Z 4 37 (35–38), Z 5 58 (55–62), s 1 14 (13– 15), s 2 25 (23–26), s 3 41 (38–43), s 4 55 (55–56), s 5 52 (50–55), s 6 40 (40–41), S 1 38 (35–40), S 2 26 (25–27), S 3 21 (20–21), S 4 22 (22–23), S 5 23 (20–25), r 2 26 (25–26), r 3 55 (52–57), r 4 35 (33–37), r 5 35 (34–37), R 1 18 (14– 20), R 2 15. Most dorsal shield setae smooth and longer than distance between their bases and the bases of the subsequent setae of the same series; Z 5 very lightly serrate.

Ventral idiosoma ( Fig. 33 ). Base of tritosternum 15 (15–16) long and 14 (14–15) wide proximally; laciniae 64 (61–66), separated for about 80% of their total length, pilose. Pre-sternal plates lightly sclerotised, fused with each other and with sternal shield, transversely reticulate. Sternal shield mostly reticulate and with posterior margin slightly concave; 91 (88–95) long and 122 (116–126) wide at widest level, with three pairs of setae and two pairs of lyrifissures; distances st 1– st 3 82 (80–83), st 2– st 2 81 (80–83). Fourth pair of sternal setae (st 4) on metasternal plates; third pair of lyrifissures (iv 3) indistinct. Genital shield reticulate, with a moderate constriction at level of coxae IV; hyaline anterior section acuminate, overlapping posterior margin of sternal shield; posterior margin convex, 136 (127–150) long (including hyaline section) and 78 (72–84) wide at the widest level; distance st 5– st 5 72 (68–75); seta st 5 inserted on the margin of the shield and lyrifissure iv 5 on unsclerotised cuticle, posterolaterad of st 5. With one pair of ellipsoidal metapodal plates. Opisthogaster with ten pairs of setae on unsclerotised cuticle (Jv 1– Jv 5, Zv 1– Zv 5); Jv 3 absent on the left side and an extra opisthogastric seta present between Jv 4 and Zv 4 of the right side in specimen paratype. Anal shield pear-shaped and reticulate; 90 (83–100) long and 67 (64–70) wide, with a pair of marginal pores about in transverse line with para-anal setae, the latter slightly shorter than post-anal seta and inserted between posterior margin and mid-length of anal opening; anal opening almost 1/2 as long as shield, located at the center of the shield; 35 (34–38) long. Anterior section of endopodal plate fused with sternal shield; section behind sternal shield slender and curved. Exopodal plate a strip extending from the region between coxae I–II to region behind coxa IV. Peritrematic plate wide, fused with dorsal shield at level of j 3 and extending posteriorly at level of posterior margin of coxa IV, apparently fused with exopodal plate by a narrow bridge, with a pore and two lyrifissures behind each stigma. Peritreme extending anteriorly almost to level of z 1. Setal measurements: st 1 39 (37–42), st 2 41 (40–42), st 3 40 (39–41), st 4 42 (40–43), st 5 33 (30–35), Jv 1 31 (30–32), Jv 2 39 (35–42), Jv 3 29 (28–30), Jv 4 27 (25–28), Jv 5 37 (35–40), Zv 1 21 (20–23), Zv 2 28 (26–30), Zv 3 23 (21–25), Zv 4 20 (18–20), Zv 5 18 (16–18) para-anal 31 (30–32), post-anal 34 (32–35); setae aciculate and smooth.

Spermathecal apparatus. Not distinguishable.

Legs. Lengths: I: 487 (479–494); II: 346 (335–356); III: 392 (366–409); IV: IV 629 (597–660). Setation (legs I–IV): coxae: 2, 2, 2, 1; trochanters: 6, 5, 5, 5; femora: 12, 10, 6, 6; genua: 13, 11, 9, 9; tibiae: 13, 9, 8, 10; tarsi: I not counted, 18, 18, 18. All legs with pretarsi and with a pair of strongly sclerotised claws ( Fig. 34 ). Median section of pulvilli of legs I–IV rounded. Legs II–IV with a spine-like structure rising ventrally at the base of each claw. Most setae of tarsus IV wipe-like; Setae pd 3 (ca. 190) of basitarsus IV and ad 2 (ca. 150) and pd 2 (ca. 125) of telotarsus IV (ca. 85) longer than other setae of the same segment ( Fig. 34 ).

Adult male. Not found.

Etymology. The specific name “ colombianus ” refers to “from Colombia ”, country where the type specimens were collected.

Remarks. This species is most similar to Proctolaelaps reticulatus Chant, 1963 by the general shape of the dorsal shield, relative length of most setae and the lateral position of the Z setae, especially Z 2. However, P.

reticulatus differs from the new species by having the tectum convex and smooth and dorsal shield with one more pair of R setae. The ventral spine-like structure at the base of each claw is reported for the first time in this genus, which may be due to its difficult visualisation.

Figures

FIGURES 29 – 34. Proctolaelaps colombianus sp. nov. Female. 29. Chelicera; 30. Epistome; 31. Hypostome and proximal palp segment; 32. Dorsal idiosoma; 33. Ventral idiosoma; 34. Tarsus IV.